
Class _E^j^S:— 
Book^CjSAB- 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY 



OF 



PETER CAliTWRIGHT, 



THE BACKWOODS PREACHER 



EDITED BY 



W. P. STRICKLAND. 



CINCINNATI: 

PUBLISHED BY L. SWORMSTEDT & A. FOE, 

FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOrAL CHURCH, AT THE WESTERX BOOK COKCEEN', 
CORNER OF MAIX AND EIGHTH STREETS. 



it. P. THOMPSON, PRINTER. 
1859. 



Trfd.< 



, ^^ 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 185G, by 

CARLTON & PORTER, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. 



PREPACE 



For many years past, and especially during 
the last ten or twelve, I have been almost un- 
ceasingly importuned to write out a history of 
my life, as one among the oldest Methodist trav- 
eling preachers west of the mountains. This 
would necessarily connect with it a history of 
the rise and progress of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church in the great valley of the Missis- 
sippi. And surely a work of this kind, written 
by a competent historiographer, who had kept 
himself posted, or had kept a journal of his life, 
and the many thrilling incidents connected with 
the history of the Church, or the life of a pioneer 
travehng preacher, could not fail to interest the 
Church and many of her friends, and would rescue, 
from oblivion many, very many incidents that are 
now lost, and gone forever beyond the reach of the 
historian's pen. 

I have regretted through life that some of my 
cotemporaries, who were much better qualified for 

3 



4: PREFACE. 

the task than I am, did not write out such a 
work as is contemplated in this imperfect sketch. 
Had I seriously thought of sending such a work 
into the world, I should have tried hard to have 
been better prepared. But it must be remem- 
bered that many of us early traveling preachers, 
who entered the vast wilderness of the west at 
an early day, had httle or no education; no books, 
and no time to read or study them if we could 
have had them. We had no colleges, nor even a 
respectable common school, within hundreds of 
miles of us. Old D?/Ice or Dilworth was our spell- 
ing book; and what little we did learn, as we grew 
up, and the means of education increased among 
us, we found, to our hearts' content, that we had 
to unlearn, and this was the hardest work of all. 

And now that I am old and well stricken in 
years, it has been, and is, my abiding conviction, 
that I can not write a book that will be respect- 
able, or one that will be worth reading; but I have 
reluctantly yielded to the many solicitations of my 
friends, and I am conscious that there must be 
many imperfections and inaccuracies in the work. 
I have no books to guide me; my memory is 
greatly at fault; ten thousand interesting facts 
have escaped my recollection; names and places 
have passed from me which can not be recalled ; 
and I- fear that many scenes and incidents, as they 



PREFACE. 5 

now occur to my recollection^ will be added to, or 
diminished from. 

Moreover, as I well understand that I have 
been considered constitutionally an eccentric min- 
ister, thousands of the thrilHng incidents that 
have gained publicity, and have been attributed 
to me, when they are not found in my book will 
create disappointment. But I trust their place 
will be supplied by a true version; and though 
some of them may not be as marvelous, may 
nevertheless be quite as interesting. I have many 
to record that have not seen the light, which will 
be quite as thrilling as any that have been nar- 
rated, and their truthfulness will make them 
more so. 

Some of our beloved bishops, book agents, 
editors, and old men, preachers and private mem- 
bers, as well as a host of our young, strong men 
and ministers, who are now actively engaged in 
building up the Church, have urged me to under- 
take this sketch of my life, and I have not felt at 
liberty to dechne, but send it out with all its im- 
perfections, hoping that it may in some way, and 
to some extent, conduce to the interests of the 
Redeemer's kingdom, and do more than merely 
gratify an idle curiosity, or offend the fastidious 
taste of some of our present more highly-favored 
and better educated ministers, who enjoy the many 



PREFACE. 



glorious advantages of books, a better education, 
and improved state of society, from which we, as 
early pioneers, were almost wholly excluded. 

Right here I wish to say — I hope without the 
charge of egotism — when I consider the insur- 
mountable disadvantages and difficulties that the 
early pioneer Methodist preachers labored under 
in spreading the Gospel in these western wilds in 
the great valley of the Mississippi, and contrast 
the disabilities which surrounded them on eveiy 
hand, with the glorious human advantages that 
are enjoyed by their present successors, it is con- 
foundingly miraculous to me that our modern 
preachers can not preach better, and do more good 
than they do. Many nights, in early times, the 
itinerant had to camp out, without fire or food for 
man or beast. Our pocket Bible, Hymn-Book, and 
Discipline constituted our library. It is true we 
could not, many of us, conjugate a verb or parse a 
sentence, and murdered the king's English almost 
every lick. But there was a Divine unction at- 
tended the word preached;, and thousands fell under 
the mighty power of God, and thus the Methodist 
Episcopal Church was planted firmly in this west- 
ern wilderness, and many glorious signs have fol- 
lowed, and will follow, to the end of time. 

I will here state, that, at an early period of my 
ministry, I commenced keeping a journal, and 



PREFACE. 7 

kept it up for several years, till at length several 
of our early missiouaries to the Natchez country 
returned, and many of them, I found, were keeping 
a journal of their lives and labors, and it seemed 
to me we were outdoing the thing, and under this 
conviction I threw my manuscript journals to the 
moles and bats. This act of my life I have deeply 
regretted, for if I had persisted in journahzing, I 
could now avail myself of many interesting facts, 
dates, names, and circumstances that would greatly 
aid me in my sketch. 

I know it is impossible for my friends to realize 
the embarrassments I labor under, for the w^ant of 
some safe guide to my failing and treacherous 
memory. I therefore ask great indulgence from 
any and all who may chance to read this imperfect 
sketch, and pray that our kind Savior may for- 
give any inaccuracies or errors that it may contain. 
If I had my ministerial life to live over again, my 
present conviction is that I would scrupulously 
keep a journal. But this can not he; therefore I 
must submit. 

And now, in the conclusion of this introduction, 
I will say, I ask forgiveness of God for all the 
errors of this work, and all the errors of my whole 
life, especially of my ministerial life. I also ask 
for the forgiveness of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, as one of her unworthy ministers, for any 



8 PREFACE. 

wrongs I may have done to her, or to the world. 
I also most sincerely ask the prayers of the Church, 
that while my sun is fast declining, and must soon 
set to rise on earth no more, I may have a peace- 
ful and happy end, and that I may meet any that 
I may have been the instrument of doing good to, 
with all my dear brethren, safe in heaven, to praise 
God together forever. Amen. 

Peter Cartwright. 

Pleasant Plains, III., 1856. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 



His Birth— Parents remove to Kentucky— Dangers and DifSculties of the Jour- 
ney — Halt at Camp Defeat — His Father shoots an Indian — Escape of a "White 

Man from the Indians — His Companions shot — Arrival at Crab Orchard 

Massacre of seven Families — Pursuit of the Indians — Their Slaughter — Perils 
of the Early Settlers— Fertility and Eesources of the Country Page 17 

CHAPTER II. 

Settlement in Lincoln's county, Ky. — Methodist Ministers — Parents remove to 
Logan county, Ky.— Rogues' Harbor — The "Regulators" — Native Luxuries — 
Saltpeter Caves— Advantages of Navigation— Falls into Bad Habits — Is sent to 
School — Makes little Progress — Fate of his Teacher 23 

CHAPTER III. 

Increase of Population— Danger of Extremes in Doctrine— Sacramental Meet- 
ing—Great Revival— First Camp Meeting— Presbyterians censured for en- 
gaging in it— Origin of the "New Lights "—Their Leaders— " Republican 
Methodists "—The Shakers— "Want of Ministers severely felt 29 

CHAPTER IV. 

Goes to a Dance— Is convicted — Obliged to leave his Business— Thought to be 
Insane— His Convictions are Strengthened— Attends a Sacramental Meeting, 
and is Converted— Joins the Methodist Episcopal Church— Organization of the 
Western conference by Bishop Asbury— Early "Western Itinerants— First Se- 
cession— Wilson Lee— The Pet Lamb— Taking up the Cross— Happy Conver- 
sion — Mr, Lee's Death 34 

CHAPTER V. 

Wide-spread Revival in the West— Rise of Camp Meetings— Methodists and 
Presbyterians unite in the Work— Camp-ground Accommodations— Great Ex- 
travagances among the Presbyterians— The Presbytery grant Licenses con- 
trary to the "Confession of Faith " — Some are censured, some suspended, and 
others expelled— They propose to join the Methodist Episcopal Church— Pro- 
posal declined— Formation of the "Cumberland Presbyterian Church"— 
Splitting the Difference — The Jerks — Horsewhipping escaped — Dreadful 
Death — Fatal Delusions— Trouble with the Shakers — Debates with them — 
Numbers received into the Church— Organizes a Circuit 45 

9 



10 CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Attends numerous Camp Meetings — Opposers overcome — Meets Bishop Asbury — 
Eeceives an Exhorter's License — Kemoves to Lewiston county, 111.— Enters an 
Academy — Exhorts large Congregations and gathers a Class — Suffers Perse- 
cution—Ducks his Tormentors— Leaves School— Forms a Circuit— Good Suc- 
cess — Gives up the World — Travels Eed River circuit— First Sermon— Its 
Effect — Transferred to "Waynesville circuit — Eevival at' Stockton Valley — Bap- 
tist Proselyters — They entice his Converts — His Scheme to recover them — Is 
crowned with Success — Organizes a Society — Increase in the Western confer- 
ence — Is received into the Traveling Connection Page 56 

CHAPTER VII. 

Conference of 1804 — Travels Salt River and Shelbyville circuits — Simplicity in 
Dress of early Methodists — Studies with Mr. M'Kendree — Profits much by his 
Instructions — Duties of Presiding Elders — Pioneer Methodist Preachers — An 
educated Ministry — Meets one of the "Regular Graduates" — Confounds 
him — A striking Illustration — Danger of Congregationalism in the Church — 
Secular Offices should be filled by Laymen — Evil Effects of the present Sys- 
tem — Conference of 1805 — William M'Kendree elected President 74 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Appointment to Scioto circuit — Favored with good Superintendents — A drunken 
Minister — Strange Apology — Powerful Awakenings — Afflicting Dispensation — 
Father Teel — His Eccentricity cured — Large Camp Meeting — The Rowdies 
troublesome — A drunken Magistrate — A knock-down Argument — The Meeting 
progresses — Cheering Results — James Axley — Scene at the Governor's Table — 
A useful Preacher Si 

CHAPTER IX. 

Starts for the Conference of 1806 — Increase of Membership — A new District — 
Meager Salary — Is ordained Deacon by Bishop Asbury — Sent to Marietta cir- 
cuit — A Colony of Yankees — Hard Appointment — The Halcyon Church- 
Brimstone Angels — A vile Impostor — Deluded Fanatics — Want of an Outfit — 
Goes Home — Timely Assistance — A Friend in Need — A Generous Landlord — 
Singular Conversion — Arrives at Home — New Outfit — Starts afresh — Confer- 
ence of 1807 — Appointed to Barren circuit — Dying Convert — A knotty Case — 
Affecting Scene — Methodism obtains a Footing 9G 

CHAPTER X. 

Poverty of Preachers — Enters into Matrimony — Conference of 1808 — Ordained 
Elder by Bishop M'Kendree — Father's Death — Has leave of Absence for a 
Time — Returns to the Regular Work at the Conference of 1809 — Appointed to 
Livingston circuit — Holds a Camp Meeting — Good Results — A bigoted 
"Dunker" — Turns Methodist — Bought by the Baptists — Tries the Shakers — 
Objects to hard Work — Resorts to the New Lights— Last Session of the West. 
ern conference in 1811 — Increase of Membership— First delegated General 
conference — Division of the Western conference — Goes to Christian circuit. 



CONTENTS. 11 

Tennessee conference — Glorious Revivals — Overcomes Prejudice — New Ap- 
pointment — Another Camp Meeting — A Methodist Fit — Preaches at Red 
River — Opposed by a Presbyterian Minister — Results of Opposition — Forms a 
Society Page 111 

CHAPTER XI. 

First Session of Tennessee conference in 1812 — Made Presiding Elder by Bishop 
Asbury — Objects to taking the Office — Travels Wabash district — Holds several 
Camp Meetings — Agitation on the Slavery Question — Testimony of the Church 
against it — Harm done by Rabid Abolitionists — Breckenridge Camp Meet- 
ing — An impudent Dandy — Threat of a Horsewhipping — Dandy escapes with 
a Ducking — Decrease of Membership at conference of 1813 — Causes thereof — 
Returned to Green River, formerly Wabash district — New Fields of Labor — 
A Baptist Goliath — Slander on the Methodists — Vulgar Comparisons — Goliath 
Defeated — Is blown to Never — A Whisky-drinking Preacher — Charging full 
Price 126 

CHAPTER XII. 

Tennessee conference of 1814 — Bishops Asbury and M'Kendree — Their Minis- 
terial Labors — Privations of the Preachers — A Fatted Calf— Camp Meeting at 
Christian circuit — Disturbance from Rowdies — A stroke of Policy — A Dis- 
turber reached — Another soused, and afterward converted — The String of 
Frogs— An enraged Father— Evil Surmisings— His Conviction and Conver- 
sion — A singular Dream — Its Fulfillment — Baptist Proselyter — Extended 
Argument — An iinanswerable Question 139 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Bishop Asbury attends the Tennessee conference of 1815 — His feeble Health — 
Election of Delegates to General conference — The Bishop's Advice to them — 
His Endeavors to reach the General conference— Increasing Weakness— Death 
and Burial— Reinterment— Epitaph— The Bishop's Talents— His Knowledge 
of Character — General conference of 1816 — Difficulties of Travel — Election of 
Bishops George and Roberts— A Tear of Prosperity— Introduction of Pro- 
slavery Feeling into the Church— Injurious Effects— Clamors for Lay Rep- 
resentation first heard — They increase at the conference of 1820— Other Radi- 
cal Measures then brought forward — Presiding Elders to be Elected — An 
entering Wedge— Bishop Soule's Opposition— Suspension of the Elective 
Rule— Harmony destroyed in the Church— Expulsion of the Radicals— Peace 
restored— Formation of the Methodist Protestant Church— Schisms originate 
among the Ministers— Examples cited— Wretched Policy of the Church South 
on Slavery 152 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Sessions of Western conferences for 1816— Is appointed to Christian circuit- 
New conference formed— Introduction of Methodism into Indiana and Illi- 
nois—Increase of Members and Ministers— Glorious Revivals — Preaches to 
Slaves— Numbers converted— Want of faithful Preachers among them— Quar- 
terage not twenty-five Cents— Hospitable Farmer— Nothing lest by enter- 



12 CONTENTS. 

faining Ministers— Meets with a "Wealthy Wesleyan— He builds a church — 
Dedicated by a Protracted Meeting — A great Concourse attends — Several con- 
verted — Scarcity of Bibles — Organization of Bible Society Page 166 

CHAPTER XV. 

Earthquake of 1812 — Consequent Excitement — Numbers join the Church, of 
whom many fall away — Is stationed on Eed River circuit at conference of 
1817 — Preaches to a single Hearer — His Fame is spread abroad — Draws 
crowded Congregations — Dram-drinking — Eeasons for and against — Deals 
summarily with Breakers of the Rules — A Revival springs up — Class Meetings 
with closed Doors — A New Light Tormentor — How she is got rid of— Young 
America — Sermon on Worldliness — Dr. Bascom reproved — Is kept in the 
Shade — "Who is General Jackson?" — His Independence approved — Need of a 
Hell — Conference of 1819— -Complains of Violators of the Discipline — They are 
obliged to conform — General conference of 1820 — Plan of the Pro-slavery 
Party — Formation of Kentucky conference — The Church in the West — Con- 
ference of 1820 — Publishes two Anti-Calvinistic Pamphlets — A Satanic Re- 
ply—The Rejoinder 180 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Sets out with Father Walker for the General conference — Lodges with a shout- 
ing Local Preacher — Resumes his Journey — Finds a loaded Pistol — Met by a 
Robber— Pistol becomes useful— A Universalist Landlord — Praying ofif a Bill^ 
Return from conference — Effects of "New Cider" — A surly Host — Refuses 
Payment in Bills — Second Thoughts the best — Dance at a Tavern — Is asked 
to join — First offers a Prayer — The Dancing ceases — Prays and exhorts — Many 
converted — Being instant in and out of Season — A Preacher up to the Timesi — 
Dumb Devil — Evil of Dram-drinking — Makes an Enemy by his Temperance — 
Use of Liquor defended by Methodists — Appointed Presiding Elder of Cumber- 
land district at conference of 1821 — First round of Quarterly Meetings — Pray- 
erlcss Professors — Roaring River Camp Meeting — A Disorderly Congregation — 
Arrests their Attention — Defends the Divinity of Christ — Vanquishes its Dis- 
putants — Outpouring of the Spirit — An Arian Devil cast out — Simon Carlisle — 
He Reproves a young Profligate — His Revenge — Carlisle arrested for Robbery — 
Requests his conference to suspend him — Restored to his Standing in the 
Church — His Innocence proved 199 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Poplar Grove Camp Meeting — Spunky Widow — A Proselyting Baptist — Induced 
to hear Mr. Cartwright preach — Hears part of the SeVmon and then runs — 
Promise of Immortality scouted — Publicly reproves a young Lawyer — Is chal- 
lenged in consequence — Chooses his Weapons — His Opponent is Conscience- 
stricken — Requests his Prayers — Finds Peace in Believing — Revival at Quar- 
terly Meeting— Regulates the Altar Exercises— Sanctified Wealth a Blessing 
to the Church — Needless Church Expenditures — Might be better applied — 
Rowdies at a Camp Meeting— They determine to break it up— Essay to carry 
out their Plans — They are dispersed — Conversion and Reconciliation of bitter 
Enemies — Ungentlemanly Infidel — Sessions of Kentucky conference for 1822 
and 1823 — Delegated to General conference of 1824 — Close of his twentieth 
Tear in the Itinerancy — Retrospective View 226 



CONTENTS. IS 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Determines to remove to Illinois— Keasons for so doing— Makes the Journey on 
Horseback— Selects a Location— Keturns through Springfield — Is transferred 
to Illinois conference — Parting with old Friends- -Fatal Accident to one of his 
Daughters — Kindness from Strangers — Settles in Sangamon county — Vicinage 
of Indians— Extent of Sangamon circuit— Appoints a Sacramental Meeting— 
" Cartwright's Flood "—A close Brother— A Word in Season— Its good Ef- 
fect—Scarcity of Money— James Dixon— Hunters' Expedients— Their Priva- 
tions — Dixon loses his Eyesight — Singular Dream — His Sight restored — Good 
Lnck— Voyage to St. Louis — Escapes from the Indians — A successful Trip — 
Becomes a Methodist— His peaceful Death— Increase on Sangamon circuit — 
Conference of 1825 — Violent Bilious Attack — Journey homeward— An unkind 
Companion — His Dismissal — Stops to recruit — Proceeds on his Way — Is Sick 
on the Eoad — Lies down to Die — Good Samaritans — Is met by his Wife — Par- 
tial Recovery— Crossing the Grand Prairie Page 244 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Sent to Illinois circuit by conference of 1826 — Is a Candidate for the Legis- 
lature — Hears himself defamed — Faces his Reviler — He apologizes — Another 
Calumniator — Proves his Assertions to be false — An aspiring Lawyer — He is 
taken down — Becomes friendly — Dangers in the Use of Liquor — Preaches to a 
highly-expectant Congregation — Annoyance at Camp Meeting from a Drunken 
Crew — They are dispersed by an Artifice — An Insane Enthusiast — Various De- 
lusions — Expulsion from the Church of an Impostor — A good Investment — 
Value of Useful Books— Appointed Superintendent of Pottawattomie district — 
Meeting with Indian Chiefs — Expenses of this Mission — Conference of 1827 — 
Voyage to General conference at Pittsburg — Immoral Fellow-Passengers— An 
exciting Debate — Comes off Victorious — Preaches on the Steamboat 261 

CHAPTER XX. 

Absent from conference of 1828— Sickness of Mrs. Cartwright— Formation of 
Oneida conference— Organization of Canada Methodist Episcopal Church- 
Attends the General conference of 1828— Gets tho Cold Shoulder— Hearty Re- 
ception—Spiritual Darkness- Obtains Relief— Dangers of New circuits— A 
Rough Pulpit — Death of Bishop George — Illinois conference of 1829 — A hen- 
pecked Husband— He is relieved — Written Sermons not liked— A Union 
Church— Unfair Dealing— A Methodist church built — Great Sacrifice— Sanga- 
mon Camp Meeting— Groundless Stories— Tormented by Mockers— They stick 
in the Mud— The Tables turned— A bigoted Mother— Her impotent Rage— A 
Pi-ovidential Escai^e 292 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Elected to the General conference of 1832— Prevented from attending by Family 
Sickness— Annoyed at Camp Meeting by a Huckster— Prosecutes him— He 
refuses to pay his Fine— His Stores seized, and himself taken to Prison— Pays, 
and is released— His Companions desire to retake his Liquor — Their Ring- 
leader quieted— Revival among the Persecutors— Division of Illinois confer- 
ence—Is Superannuated for ten Hours— Quincy district formed— None willing 
to go to it— Takes the Appointment— Character of the district— A long Show- 



14 CONTENTS. 

er — An encouraging Motto — Watery Journey — A High-strung Predesti- 
narian — Hater of the Methodists— The Eternal Decrees— Barton Eandle— His 
Privations and Usefulness — Visit to Eock Island mission — A rascally Ferry- 
man — Former Site of an Indian Town — Fording Kock river — An unexpected 
Wetting — Galena mission — Dangerous Kide with his Daughter — Contrast be- 
tween Traveling then and now — D. B. Carter — A beloved Minister — His 
Death — Fort Edwards mission Page 320 

CHAPTER XXII. 

Eise of the Mormons under Joe Smith — Their Expulsion from Missouri, and 
Establishment at Nauvoo — Acquaintance wth Joe Smith — His Ignorance and 
Cunning — Controversy concerning his DoctrLnes — Eelates to him an En- 
counter with Mormons at a Camp Meeting, and how they were silenced — 
Smith grows Eestive under this Eecital — Curses him in the Name of his God — 
Mormons driven from Illinois — Illinois conference of 1833 — Bishop Soule's 
Western Tour — Travels with him to a Quarterly Meeting — Visitation of the 
Cholera — The Bishop attacked wuth Fever — Preacher stationed at Jackson- 
ville — First Quarterly conference there — Eapid Growth of the Town—Illinois 
conference of 1834 — Eeligious Excitement in Eushrille circuit — A Papist 
Convert 341 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

Knox county Camp Meeting — A Yankee Family — Parents' Dislike of the Meth- 
odists — Efforts to keep their Children from the Meeting — The Daughters seek 
Eeligion — Opposition of their Mother— Laughable Incidents— Whole Family 
becomes Eeligious — Uuhealthincss of Quincy — A Dying Stranger — Takes 
Charge of his Affairs — A Campbellite Debater — He resists the Spirit — Becomes 
Insane — Commits Suicide 352 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

Missionaries sent to the West — They make Evil Eeports of the Land — Their 
Preaching productive of no Good — Election to General conference of 1836 — 
Church Paper at Cincinnati — Morris, Waugh, and Fisk elected Bishops — 
Slavery pronounced a Blessing — Ultra Abolitionists — Plan of Separation — 
Opinions of Southern Members in regard to Slavery — The True Wesleyans — 
Wilbur Fisk — Confidence of the Church reposed in him — Declines being or- 
dained Bishop — Six new conferences formed — Funeral Sermon of Bishop 
M'Kendree — Sketch of his Life — Unhappy Delay in the Publication of his 
Memoirs 358 

CHAPTER XXV. 

Extent of Illinois conference — Session of 1837 — Eevival in Jacksonville station — 
A New-School Minister — Change of Purpose not Conversion — Gracious Ee- 
vival — A live Yankee Minister — Abortive Attempt to Preach — A powerful Ex- 
hortation — Anxious Inquirers — Easy Way of becoming a Christian — Elected 
Delegate to General conference of 1840 — Agitation on Slavery revived — Aboli- 
tionists led by 0. Scott — Opposes the Election of new Bishops — Several new 
conferences organized — Abolitionists opposed to Colonization — They refuse to 
assist poor Churches in the South — Winchester Camp Meeting — A large At- 
tendance—Numbers of Eenegades— Determines to maintain Good Order— -Eising 
of the Mob — Their Leader taken — A mock Camp Meeting — Eowdies put to 
riight— Their Captain converted— Trial of the Disturbers 368 



CONTENTS. 15 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

Growth of the Country — Its state in 1824 — Determines to build a church — A 
Union Church proposed — He strongly objects to it — Success of his Enterpi'ise — 
First church in Sangamon circuit — Waters's Camp-ground — Quarterly Meet- 
ing at Alton — A Methodist Ball — Crowded Attendance — Christ rejects none — 
Answering a Fool according to his Folly — Universalism a conscience-soothing 
Doctrine — Quarterly Meeting at Exeter — A Company of Mockers — Happy Con- 
version — A noted Gambler — He burns his Cards — Obtains Eeligion — Goes to 
Utah — Becomes a Mormon — A despairing Sinner — Dies without Hope — Revival 
at Winchester — The Campbellites present in full Force — They provoke Contro- 
versy — Their Preacher nonplused — Advice to Public Speakers — Conference of 
1843 — Bishop Andrew presides — General conference of 1844 — Church Statistics — 
Success of Early Ministers Page 385 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

Attends the General conference of 1844 — Government of the Church — The Bish- 
ops have no Legislative Power — They do not Hold the Church Property — The 
Methodist Episcopal Church essentially Antislavery — Ground taken by the 
Northern and Southern Delegates respectively — Bishop Andrew's Connection 
with Slavery — Course which the conference should have pursued — Course of 
Bishop Soule — The conference had no Power to divide the Church — Dr. El- 
liott's History of the Secession — Abolitionists have done nothing for the Slave — • 
Course to be pursued toward Slaveholders — Is clear of Guilt in the Action of 
this conference ^ 411 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Illinois conference of 1844 — Non-concurrence in the Measures of the General 
conference — Statement of Facts in the Case — Slaveholding never a Test of 
Church Membershii) — Conservatism the true Ground — Its Benefits to the 
Slave — Attends a nameless Meeting at Cincinnati — Taken ill on his Way to 
conference — Reaches Alton City — Has Medical Assistance and Proceeds — Ar- 
rives at the conference — A gloomy Year — Southern Delegates call a Conven- 
tion — Renounce the Methodist Episcopal Church — Form a separate Organi- 
zation — Foul Means resorted to — Bishop Soule chiefly to be Blamed — Bishop 
Andrew not without Fault in the Matter — Fate of Extremes — Fearful Results 
of Schisms 425 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

Session of Illinois conference for 1845 — Returned to Bloomington district — Trav- 
eling hazardous in Winter and Spring — Commences his Round of Quarterly 
Meetings— An intensely cold Storm— Dreary Ride— Reaches a Local Preach- 
er's Cabin — One of his Sons converted at Prayers — Pursues his Journey — 
Crosses Sangamon river — Reaches the Meeting — The Church triumphs over 
her Foes— A Week at Waynesville— Nightly Meetings— Frightful Death— A 
fair Conclusion— Paying Universalist's Bills— Elected to the General confer- 
ence of 1848 — An exciting Session — Southern Delegates come resolved on Se- 
cession — The Louisville Convention — Measures of the General conference of 
1844 null and void— A peaceful Settlement evaded— German Mission — Its 
Formation by Dr. Nast— Death of Charles Holliday— Election to the General 



16 CONTENTS. 

conference of 1852— Feebleness of Bishops Hedding and Hamline— Affecting 
Address of Bishop Waiigh— Superintends the Mission to the Pottawattomies- 
Change in the Country— Increase in Wealth and Population— Methodism dying 
out — Prejudice of the Minister at Warsaw against him— Offered the Use of the 
Presbyterian church— Power of God on the Congregation— Notified to vacate 
the church— Supposed Eeasons therefor— Building of a Methodist church — 
Numerous Accessions to the Society — Ptevivals the Net of the Church— Quincy 
station— A Time of Befreshing— Sugar Grove Camp Meeting— A prosperous 
Year— Failing Strength— Conference of 1852 — Pleasant Plains district formed — 
Is appointed to it at conference of 1853— Incidents at the Boston General con- 
ference — His Sermons pronounced Failures— The Charm broken— Character- 
istics of the Yankees — Their Hospitality — New England Farms Page 441 

CHAPTER XXX. 

General conference of 1852— Death of Bishop Hedding— Election of four new 
Bishops— A Yankee Triumph— Evil of Pewed Churches— Parting with kind 
Friends— Pioneer Preachers— Their Labors and Success— Jesse Walker- 
Abundant in Labors — Becomes Superannuated— Final Triumph— Samuel H. 
Thompson— His Early Conversion— Great Usefulness— Sinks under Priva- 
tions — His Ardent Zeal— Last Message — Victory over Death- John Dew — 
Talents as a Preacher— Has Souls for his Hire — Is greatly Beloved — Goes to 
his Keward 480 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

Illinois conferences of 1854 and 1855— Election to the General conference of 
185G — Slavery Agitation — Multiplying of Stations tends to Congregational- 
ism—Changes in Church Economy— Longer Term of Ministerial Appoint- 
ment — New Rule on Ordination 501 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

A Wealthy Phj'sician — Avowed Infidelity— Moral Benefit of Christianity — An 
Inexplicable BIystery— Breach in the Walls — Evidences of the Senses — The 

• Doctor convinced — His Wife's Conversion — Fervent Prayer— A Peaceful 
Answer— Glorious Eevival— Preaches the Gospel— Seals to his Ministry — 
Taken to Abraham's Bosom 507 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

Plainness of Early Methodists— Extravagance of the present day— Duty of 
Family Prayer— Results of its Faithful Performance— Neglect of many on this 
Score- Benefits of Prayer Meetings— They are the Seed of Revivals— Class 
Meetings owned of God— Their Attendance should be a Test of Membership — 
Value of faithful Leaders 515 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

Review of the Past— Entrance into the Itinerant Ranks— Children and Grand- 
children—All striving to reach Heaven— Amount lost on Allowance— Value 
of Books sold— Collected for Benevolent Purposes— Ministerial Labors— De- 
crease of Camp Meetings- Plan for their Revival— Growth of the West- 
Thanks for Mercies — Prayers implored 521 



AUTOBIOGKAPHY 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 



CHAPTER I. 

PARENTAGE. 

I WAS born September 1, 1785, in Amherst coun- 
ty, on James river, in the state of Virginia. My 
parents were poor. My father was a soldier in the 
great struggle for liberty, in the .Revolutionary war 
with Great Britain. He served over two years. 
My mother was an orphan. Shortly after the united 
colonies gained their independence, my parents 
moved to Kentucky, which was a new country. It 
was an almost unbroken wilderness from Virginia to 
Kentucky at that early day, and this wilderness was 
filled with thousands of hostile Indians, and many 
thousands of the emigrants to Kentucky lost their 
lives by these savages. There were no roads for 
carriages at that time, and, although the emigrants 
moved by thousands, they had to move on pack- 
horses. Many adventurous young men went to this 
new country. The fall my father moved there were 
a great many families who joined together for mutual 
safety, and started for Kentucky. Besides the two 

2 17 



18 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

hundred families thus united, there were one hun- 
dred young men, well armed, who agreed to guard 
these families through, and, as a compensation, they 
were to be supported for their services. After we 
struck the wilderness we rarely traveled a day but 
we passed some white persons, murdered and scalped 
by the Indians while going to or returning from 
Kentucky. We traveled on till Sunday, and, instead 
of resting that day, the voice of the company was to 
move on. 

It was a dark, cloudy day, misty with rain. Many 
Indians were seen through the day skulking round 
by our guards. Late in the evening we came to 
what was called " Camp Defeat," where a number of 
emigrant families had been all murdered by the sav- 
ages a short time before. Here the company called 
a halt to camp for the night. It was a solemn, 
gloomy time ; every heart quaked with fear. 

Soon the captain of our young men's company 
placed his men as sentinels all round the encamp- 
ment. The stock and the women and children were 
placed in the center of the encampment. Most of 
the men that were heads of families, were placed 
around outside of the women and children. Those 
who were not placed in this position, were ordered to 
take their stand outside still, in the edge of the brush. 
It was a dark, dismal night, and all expected an at- 
tack from the Indians. 

That night my father was placed as a sentinel, 
with a good rifle, in the edge of the brush. Shortly 
after he took his stand, and all was quiet in the camp, 
he thought he heard something moving toward him, 
and grunting like a swine. He knew there was no 
swine with the moving company, but it was so dark 
he could not see what it was. Presently he perceived 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 19 

a dark object in tlie distance, but nearer him than at 
first, and believing it to be an Indian, aiming to 
spring upon him and murder him in the dark, he 
leveled his rifle, and aimed at the dark lump as well 
as he could, and fired. He soon found he had hit 
the object, for it flounced about at a terrible rate, and 
my father gathered himself up and ran into camp. 

When his gun fired there was an awful screaming 
throughout the encampment by the women and chil- 
dren. My father was soon inquired of as to what 
was the matter. He told them the circumstances of 
the case, but some said he was scared and wanted an 
excuse to come in; but he affirmed that there was no 
mistake, that there was something, and he had shot 
it; and if they would get a light and go with him, if 
he did not show them something, then they might 
call him a coward forever. They got a light and 
went to the' place, and there they found an Indian, 
with a rifle in one hand and a tomahawk in the other, 
dead. My father's rifle-ball had struck the Indiau 
nearly central in the head. 

There was but little sleeping in the camp that 
night. However, the night passed away without 
any further alarms, and many glad hearts hailed the 
dawn of a new day. The next morning, as soon 
as the company could pack up, they started on their 
journey. 

In a few days after this we met a lone man, who 
said his name was Baker, with his mouth bleeding at 
a desperate rate, having been shot by an Indian. 
Several of his teeth and his jaw-bone were broken by 
a ball from the Indian's gun. His account of a battle 
with the Indians was substantially as follows : 

There were seven young white men returning to 
Virginia from Kentucky, all well armed; one of 



20 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

them, a Frenchman, had a considerable sum of 
money with him. All seven were mounted on fine 
horses, and they were waylaid by seven Indians. 

When the white men approached near the am- 
bush they were fired on by the Indians, and three 
shot down; the other four dismounted and shot 
down three of the Indians. At the second fire of the 
Indians two more of the white men fell, and at the 
second fire of the white men two more of the Indians 
fell. Then there were two and two. At the third 
fire of the Indians Baker's only remaining compan- 
ion fell, and he received the wound in the mouth. 
Thinking his chance a bad one, he wheeled and ran, 
loading his gun as he went. Finding a large, hollow 
tree, he crept into it, feet foremost, holding his rifle 
ready cocked, expecting them to look in, when he 
intended to fire. He heard the Indians cross and 
recross the log twice, but they did not look in. 

At this perilous moment he heard the large cow 
bell that was on one of the drove of cattle of our com- 
pany, and shortly after he crawled out of the log, and 
made his way to us, the happiest man I think I ever 
saw. Our company of young men rushed to the 
battle-ground, and found the dead white men and 
Indians, and dug two separate graves, and buried 
them where they fell. They got all the horses and 
clothes of the white men slain, and the Frenchman's 
money, for the surviving Indians had not time to 
scalp or strip them. 

When we came within seven miles of the Crab 
Orchard, where there were a fort and the first white 
settlement, it was nearly night. We halted, and a 
vote was taken whether we should go on to the fort, 
or camp there for the night. Indians had been seen 
in our rear through the day. All wanted to go 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 21 

through except seven families, who refused to go any 
further that night. The main body went on, but 
they, the seven families, carelessly stripped off their 
clothes, laid down without any guards, and went to 
sleep. 

Some time in the night about twenty-five Indians 
rushed on them, and every one, men, women, and 
children, was slain, except one man, who sprang from 
his bed and ran into the fort, barefooted and in his 
night-clothes. He brought the melancholy news of 
the slaughter. 

The captain of the fort was an old, experienced 
ranger and Indian warrior. These murderous bands 
of savages lived north of the Ohio river, and would 
cross over into Kentucky, kill and steal, and then 
recross the Ohio into their own country. The old 
captain knew the country well, and the places of their 
crossing the river. Early next morning he called for 
volunteers, mounted men, and said he could get ahead 
of them. A goodly company turned out, and, sure 
enough, they got ahead of the Indians, and formed an 
ambush for them. Soon they saw the Indians com- 
ing, and, at a given signal, the whites fired on them. 
At the first shot all were killed but three; these 
were pursued, two of them killed, and but one made 
his escape to tell the sad news. All the plunder of 
the murdered families was retaken. 

Thus you see what perilous times the first settlers 
had to reach that new and beautiful country of " canes 
and turkei/s.'^ 

Kentucky was claimed by no particular tribe of 
Indians, but was regarded as a common hunting- 
ground by the various tribes, east, west, north, and 
south. It abounded in various valuable game, such as 
buffalo, elk, bear, deer, turkeys, and many other 



22 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

smaller game, and hence the Indians struggled hard 
to keep the white people from taking possession of it. 
Many hard and bloody battles were fought, and thou- 
sands killed on both sides ; and rightly was it named 
the "land of blood." But finally the Indians were 
overpowered and driven off, and the white man ob- 
tained a peaceable and quiet possession. 

It was chiefly settled by Virginians, as noble and 
brave a race of men and women as ever drew the 
breath of life. But Kentucky was far in the interior, 
and very distant from the Atlantic shores; and, though 
a part of the great Mississippi Valley, the mouth of the 
Mississippi and thousands of miles up this '' father of 
waters " belonged to foreign, and, in some sense, hos- 
tile nations, that were not very friendly to the new 
republic. 

The Kentuckians labored under many, very many, 
disadvantages and privations; and had it not been for 
the fertility of the soil and the abundance of wild 
meat, they must have suffered beyond endurance. 
But the country soon filled up, and entered into the 
enjoyment of improved and civilized life. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 23 



CHAPTER IL 

EARLY LIFE. 

After my father reached Kentucky he rented a farm 
for two years in Lincoln county, on what was called 
the '' Hanging Fork of Dick's river," near Lancaster, 
the county seat. 

My mother, being a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, sought and obtained an acquaint- 
ance with two Methodist traveling preachers, namely, 
John Page and Benjamin Northcut, men of precious 
memory — men that are to be numbered as early pio- 
neers in the west, who labored hard and suffered 
much to build up the infant Methodist Church in the 
wilderness; and those two men are to be numbered 
among the oldest Methodist preachers on this conti- 
nent that are now living. (Northcut has since died.) 

In the fall of 1793 my father determined to move 
to what was then called the Green River country, in 
the southern part of the state of Kentucky. He did 
so, and settled in Logan county, nine miles south of 
Russellville, the county seat, and within one mile of 
the state line of Tennessee. 

Shortly after our removal from Lincoln to Logan 
county my father's family was visited by Jacob Lur- 
ton, a traveling preacher of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. Though my father was not a professor of 
religion, yet he was not an opposer of it, and when 
Jacob Lurton asked the liberty of preaching in his 
cabin he readily assented. 



24 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

I was then in my ninth year, and was sent out to 
invite the neighbors to come and hear preaching. 
Accordingly they crowded out, and filled the cabin to 
overflowing. Jacob Lurton was a real son of thunder. 
He preached with tremendous power, and the congre- 
gation were almost all melted to tears; some cried 
aloud for mercy, and my mother shouted aloud for joy. 

Jacob Lurton traveled several years, married, and 
located in Kentucky, from whence he removed to 
Illinois, and settled near Alton, where he died many 
years ago. His end was peaceful and happy. 

Shortly after Jacob Lurton preached at my father's 
cabin, he or his successor organized a small class, 
about four miles from my father's, where my mother 
attached herself again to the Church. I think there 
were thirteen members, one local preacher, one ex- 
horter, and a class-leader. Here my mother regularly 
walked every Sabbath to class meeting, for a number 
of years, and seldom missed this means of grace. 
This little society ebbed and flowed for years, till 
about 1799, when a mighty revival of religion broke 
out, and scores joined the society. We built a little 
church, and called it Ehenezer. This was in what was 
then called Cumberland circuit, and Kentucky dis- 
trict, in the Western conference, the seventh confer- 
ence in the United States. 

Logan county, when my father moved to it, was 
called " Rogues' Harbor." Here many refugees, from 
almost all parts of the Union, fled to escape justice or 
punishment; for although there was law, yet it could 
not be executed, and it was a desperate state of so- 
ciety. Murderers, horse thieves, highway robbers, 
and counterfeiters fled here till they combined and 
actually formed a majority. The honest and civil 
part of the citizens would prosecute these wretched 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 25 

banditti, but they would swear each other clear; and 
they really put all law at defiance, and carried on 
such desperate violence and outrage that the honest 
part of the citizens seemed to be driven to the neces- 
sity of uniting and combining together, and taking 
the law into their own hands, under the name of 
Regulators. This was a very desperate state of 
things. 

Shortly after the Regulators had formed themselves 
into a society, and established their code of by-laws, on 
a court day at Russellville, the two bands met in town. 
Soon a quarrel commenced, and a general battle en- 
sued between the rogues and Regulators, and they 
fought with guns, pistols, dirks, knives, and clubs. 
Some were actually killed, many wounded; the rogues 
proved victors, kept the ground, and drove the Regu- 
lators out of town. The Regulators rallied again, 
hunted, killed, and lynched many of the rogues, till 
several of them fled, and left for parts unknown. 
Many lives were lost on both sides, to the great scan- 
dal of civilized people. This is but a partial view 
of frontier life. 

When my father settled in Logan county there 
was not a newspaper printed south of Green river, 
no mill short of forty miles, and no schools worth the 
name. Sunday was a day set apart for hunting, fish- 
ing, horse-racing, card-playing, balls, dances, and all 
kinds of jollity and mirth. We killed our meat out 
of the woods, wild; and beat our meal and hominy 
with a pestle and mortar. We stretched a deer-skin 
over a hoop, burned holes in it with the prongs of a 
fork, sifted our meal, baked our bread, eat it, and it 
was first-rate eating too. We raised, or gathered out 
of the woods, our own tea. We had sage, bohea, 
cross-vine, spice, and sassafras teas, in abundance. As 

3 



26 AiJTOBIOGRAPHYOF 

for coffee, I am not sure that I ever smellecl it for ten 
years. We made our sugar out of the water of the 
maple-tree, and our molasses too. These were great 
luxuries in those days. 

We raised our own cotton and flax. We water-rot- 
ted our flax, broke it by hand, scutched it ; picked the 
seed out of the cotton with our fingers ; our mothers 
and sisters carded, spun, and wove it into cloth, and 
they cut and made our garments and bed-clothes, etc. 
And when we got on a new suit thus manufactured, 
and sallied out into company, we thought ourselves 
"so big as any hodij,^^ 

There were two large caves on my father's farm, 
and another about half a mile off", where was a great 
quantity of material for making saltpeter. We soon 
learned the art of making it, and our class-leader was 
a great powder-maker. 

Let it be remembered, these were days when we 
had no stores of dry goods or groceries ; but the 
United States had a military post at Fort Messick, on 
the north bank of the Ohio river and south end of 
the state of Illinois. Here the Government kept 
stores of these things. After we had made a great 
quantity of saltpeter, and had manufactured it into 
powder, really number one, strange to say, it came into 
the mind of our class-leader to go to Fort Messick on a 
trading expedition. Then the question arose, what sort 
of a vessel should be made ready for the voyage. 
This difficulty was soon solved; for he cut down a 
large poplar-tree, and dug out a large and neat canoe, 
and launched it into Red river, to go out into Cum- 
berland river, and at the mouth of said river to ascend 
the Ohio river to the fort. 

Then proclamation was made to the neighborhood 
to come in with their money or marketing, but pow- 



PETERCART WRIGHT. 27 

der was the staple of the trading voyage. They were 
also notified to bring in their bills, duly signed, stat- 
ing the articles they wanted. Some sent for a quarter 
of a pound of coffee, some one yard of ribbon, some a 
butcher-knife, some for a tin cup, etc., etc. I really 
wish I had the bill ; I would give it as a literary curi- 
osity of early days. 

Our leader went and returned, safe and sound, made 
a good exchange, to the satisfaction of nearly all con- 
cerned; and for weeks it was a great time of rejoic- 
ing, that we, even in Kentucky, had found out the 
glorious advantages of navigation. 

I was naturally a wild, wicked boy, and delighted 
in horse-racing, card-playing, and dancing. My 
father restrained me but little, though my mother 
often talked to me, wept over me, and prayed for me, 
and often drew tears from my eyes ; and though I 
often wept under preaching, and resolved to do better 
and seek religion, yet I broke my vows, went into 
young company, rode races, played cards, and danced. 

At length my father gave me a young race-horse, 
which well-nigh proved my everlasting ruin ; and he 
bought me a pack of cards, and I was a very success- 
ful young gambler ; and though I was not initiated 
into the tricks of regular gamblers, yet I was very 
successful in winning money. This practice was very 
fascinating, and became a special besetting sin to me, 
so that, for a boy, I was very much captivated by it. 
My mother remonstrated almost daily with me, and I 
had to keep my cards hid from her ; for if she could 
have found them, she would have burned them, or 
destroyed them in some way. 0, the sad delusions 
of gambling ! How fascinating, and how hard to re- 
claim a practiced gambler ! Nothing but the power 
of Divine grace saved me from this wretched sin. 



28 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

My father sent me to school, boarding me at Dr. 
Beverly Allen's ; but my teacher was not well quali- 
fied to teach correctly, and I made but small progress. 
I, however, learned to read, write, and cipher a little, 
but very imperfectly. Dr. Allen, with whom I 
boarded, had, in an early day, been a traveling 
preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He 
was sent south to Georgia, as a very gentlemanly and 
popular preacher, and did much good. He married 
in that country a fine, pious woman, a member of the 
Church ; but he, like David, in an evil hour, fell into 
sin, violated the laws of the country, and a writ was 
issued for his apprehension. He warned the sherifi" 
not to enter his room, and assured him if he did he 
would kill him. The sherifi" rushed upon him, and 
Allen shot him dead. He fled from that country to 
escape justice, and settled in Logan county, then 
called "Rogues' Harbor." His family followed him, 
and here he practiced medicine. To ease a troubled 
conscience he drank in the doctrine of Universalism ; 
but he lived and died a great friend to the Methodist 
Church. 

It fell to my lot, after I had been a preacher several 
years, to visit the Doctor on his dying bed. I talked 
to, and prayed with him. Just before he died I 
asked him if he was willing to die and meet his final 
Judge with his Universalist sentiments. He frankly 
said he was not. He said he could make the mercy 
of God cover every case in his mind but his own, but 
he thought there was no mercy for him ; and in this 
state of mind he left the world, bidding his family 
and friends an eternal farewell, warning them not to 
come to that place of torment to which he felt him- 
self eternally doomed. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 29 



CHAPTER III. 

CANE RIDGE CAMP MEETING. 

Time rolled on, population increased fast around us, 
the country improved, horse thieves and murderers 
were driven away, and civilization advanced consid- 
erably. Ministers of different denominations came 
in, and preached through the country; but the Meth- 
odist preachers were the pioneer messengers of salva- 
tion in these ends of the earth. Even in Rogues' 
Harbor there was a Baptist Church a few miles west 
of my father's, and a Presbyterian congregation a few 
miles north, and the Methodist Ebenezer a few miles 
south. 

There were two Baptist ministers, one an old man 
of strong mind and good, very good, natural abilities, 
having been brought up a rigid Calvinist, and having 
been taught to preach the doctrine of particular elec- 
tion and reprobation. At length his good sense re- 
volted at the horrid idea, and, having no correct 
books on theology, he plunged into the opposite ex- 
treme, namely, universal redemption. He lived in a 
very wicked settlement. He appointed a day to pub- 
lish his recantation of his old Calvinism, and his views 
on universal and unconditional salvation to all man- 
kind. The whole country, for many miles around, 
crowded to hear the joyful netvs. When he had 
finished his discourse, the vilest of the vile multitude 
raised the shout, expressing great joy that there was 
no hell or eternal punishment. 



30 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

I will here state a circumstance that occurred to 
the old gentleman and myself. He was a great 
smoker, and as he passed my father's one day, to 
marry a couple, he came to the fence and called to 
me, and said, " Peter, if you will bring me a coal of 
fire to light my pipe, I will tell you how to get out of 
hell, if you ever get there." Although I was very 
wicked, the expression exceedingly shocked me, and 
neither the devil nor any of his preachers have ever 
been able, from that day to this, seriously to tempt 
me to believe the hlasjyJiemous doctrine. 

The other Baptist minister soon took to open drunk- 
enness, and with him his salvation by loater expired ; 
but if ever there was a jubilee in hell, it was then and 
there held, over these apostate and fallen ministers, 
B. A. and Dr. Allen. 

Somewhere between 1800 and 1801, in the upper 
part of Kentucky, at a memorable place called '' Cane 
Bidge," there was appointed a sacramental meeting 
by some of the Presbyterian ministers, at which meet- 
ing, seemingly unexpected by ministers or people, the 
mighty power of God was displayed in a very extra- 
ordinary manner ; many were moved to tears, and 
bitter and loud crying for mercy. The meeting was 
protracted for weeks. Ministers of almost all denomi- 
nations flocked in from far and near. The meeting 
was kept up by night and day. Thousands heard of the 
mighty work, and came on foot, on horseback, in car- 
riages and wagons. It was supposed that there were 
in attendance at times during the meeting from 
twelve to twenty-five thousand people. Hundreds 
fell prostrate under the mighty power of God, as men 
slain in battle. Stands were erected in the woods, 
from which preachers of diiferent Churches pro- 
claimed repentance toward God and faith in our Lord 



PETER CART Y/RIGHT. 31 

Jesus Christ, and it was supposed, by eye and ear wit- 
nesses, that between one and two thousand souls were 
happily and powerfully converted to God during the 
meeting. It was not unusual for one, two, three, and 
four to seven preachers to be addressing the listening 
thousands at the same time from the different stands 
erected for the purpose. The heavenly fire spread in 
almost every direction. It was said, by truthful wit- 
nesses, that at times more than one thousand persons 
broke out into loud shouting all at once, and that the 
shouts could be heard for miles around. 

From this camp meeting, for so it ought to be called, 
the news spread through all the Churches, and through 
all the land, and it excited great wonder and surprise ; 
but it kindled a religious flame that spread all over 
Kentucky and through many other states. And I 
may here be permitted to say, that/this was the first 
camp meeting ever held in the United States, and 
here our camp meetings took their rise. 

As Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist ministers 
all united in the blessed work at this meeting, when 
they returned home to their different congregations, 
and carried the news of this mighty work, the revival 
spread rapidly throughout the land; but many of the 
ministers and members of the synod of Kentucky 
thought it all disorder, and tried to stop the work. 
They called their preachers who were engaged in the 
revival to account, and censured and silenced them. 
These ministers then rose up and unitedly renounced 
the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Church, organized 
a Church of their own, and dubbed it with the name 
of Christian. Here was the origin of what was called 
the N'eiu Lights. They renounced the Westminster 
Confession of Faith, and all Church discipline, and 
professed to take the New Testament for their Church 



32 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

discipline. Thej established no standard of doctrine; 
every one was to take the New Testament, read it, 
and abide his own construction of it. Marshall, 
M'Namar, Dunlevy, Stone, Huston, and others, were 
the chief leaders in this trash trap. Soon a divers- 
ity of opinion sprang up, and they got into a Ba- 
bel confusion. Some preached Arian, some Socin- 
ian, and some Universalist doctrines; so that in a 
few years you could not tell w^hat was harped or what 
was danced. They adopted the mode of immersion, 
the water-god of all exclusive errorists; and directly 
there was a mighty controversy about the way to 
heaven, whether it was by water or by dry land. 

In the mean time a remnant of preachers that broke 
off from the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1792, 
headed by James O'Kelly, who had formed a party 
because he could not be a bishop in said Church, 
which party he called the Republican Methodist 
Church, came out to Kentucky, and formed a union 
with these New Lights. Then the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church had war, and rumors of war, almost on 
every side. The dreadful diversity of opinion among 
these New Lights, their want of any standard of doc- 
trines, or regular Church discipline, made them an 
easy prey to prowling wolves of any description. 

Soon the Shaker priests came along, and off went 
M'Namar, Dunlevy, and Huston, into that foolish 
error. Marshall and others retraced their steps. B. 
W. Stone stuck to his New Lightism, and fought 
many bloodless battles, till he grew old and feeble, and 
the mighty Alexander Campbell, the great, arose and 
poured such floods of regenerating water about the 
old man's cranium, that he formed a union with this 
giant errorist, and finally died, not much lamented 
out of the circle of a few friends. And this is the 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 33 

■way with all the New Lights, in the government, 
morals, and discipline of the Church. 

This Christian, or New Light Church, is a feeble and 
scattered people, though there are some good Chris- 
tians among them. I suppose since the day of Pente- 
cost there was hardly ever a greater revival of religion 
than at Cane Ridge ; and if there had been steady, 
Christian ministers, settled in Gospel doctrine and 
Church discipline, thousands might have been saved 
to the Church that wandered off in the mazes of vain, 
speculative divinity, and finally made shipwreck of 
the faith, fell back, turned infidel, and lost their re- 
ligion and their souls forever. But evidently a new 
impetus was given to the work of God, and many, 
very many, will have cause to bless God forever for 
this revival of religion throughout the length and 
breadth of our Zion. 



M AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER IV. 

CONVERSION. 

In 1801, when I was in my sixteentli year, my father, 
my eldest half brother, and myself, attended a wed- 
ding about five miles from home, where there was a 
great deal of drinking and dancing, which was very 
common of marriages in those days. I drank little 
or nothing ; my delight was in dancing. After a late 
hour in the night, we mounted our horses and started 
for home. I was riding my race-horse. 

A few minutes after we had put up the horses, and 
were sitting by the fire, I began to reflect on the 
manner in which I had spent the day and evening. I 
felt guilty and condemned. I rose and walked the 
floor. My mother was in bed. It seemed to me, all 
of a sudden, my blood rushed to my head, my heart 
palpitated, in a few minutes I turned blind; an awful 
impression rested on my mind that death had come 
and I was unprepared to die. I fell on my knees and 
began to ask God to have mercy on me. 

My mother sprang from her bed, and was soon on 
her knees by my side, praying for me, and exhorting 
me to look to Christ for mercy, and then and there 
I promised the Lord that if he would spare me I 
would seek and serve him; and I never fully broke 
that promise. My mother prayed for me a long time. 
At length we lay down, but there was little sleep for 
me. Next morning I rose, feeling wretched beyond 
expression. I tried to read in the Testament, and 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 35 

retired many times to secret prayer througli the day, 
but found no relief. I gave up my race-horse to my 
father, and requested him to sell him. I went and 
brought my pack of cards, and gave them to mother, 
■who threw them into the fire, and they were consumed. 
I fasted, watched, and prayed, and engaged in regular 
reading of the Testament. I was so distressed and mis- 
erable, that I was incapable of any regular business. 

My father was greatly distressed on my account, 
thinking I must die, and he would lose his only son. 
He bade me retire altogether from business, and take 
care of myself. 

Soon it was noised abroad that I was distracted, 
and many of my associates in wickedness came to 
see me, to try and divert my mind from those gloomy 
thoughts of my wretchedness ; but all in vain. I ex- 
horted them to desist from the course of wickedness 
which we had been guilty of together. The class-lead- 
er and local preacher were sent for. They tried to 
point me to the bleeding Lamb, they prayed for me 
most fervently. Still I found no comfort, and although 
I had never believed in the doctrine of uncondition- 
al election and reprobation, I was sorely tempted to 
believe I was a reprobate, and doomed, and lost 
eternally, without any chance of salvation. 

At length, one day I retired to the horse-lot, and 
was walking and wringing my hands in great anguish, 
trying to pray, on the borders of utter despair. It 
appeared to me that I heard a voice from heaven, 
saying, ''Peter, look at me." A feeling of relief 
flashed over me as quick as an electric shock. It 
gave me hopeful feelings, and some encouragement 
to seek mercy, but still my load of guilt remained. 
I repaired to the house and told my mother what 
had happened to me in the horse-lot. Instantly she 



36 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

seemed to understand it, and told me the Lord had 
done this to encourage me to hope for mercy, and 
exhorted me to take encouragement, and seek on, 
and God would bless me with the pardon of my sins 
at another time. 

Some days after this I retired to a cave on my 
father's farm to pray in secret. My soul was in an 
agony ; I wept, I prayed, and said, " Now, Lord, if 
there is any mercy for me, let me find it," and it really 
seemed to me that I could almost lay hold of the 
Savior, and realize a reconciled God. All of a sud- 
den, such a fear of the devil fell upon me that it 
really appeared to me that he was surely personally 
there, to seize and drag me down to hell, soul and 
body, and such a horror fell on me that I sprang to 
my feet and ran to my mother at the house. My 
mother told me this was a device of Satan to prevent 
me from finding the blessing then. Three months 
rolled away, and still I did not find the blessing of 
the pardon of my sins. 

This year, 1801, the Western conference existed, 
and I think there was but one presiding elder's dis- 
trict in it, called the Kentucky district. William 
M'Kendree — afterward bishop — was appointed to the 
Kentucky district. Cumberland circuit, which, per- 
haps, was six hundred miles round, and lying partly 
in Kentucky and partly in Tennessee, was one of the 
circuits of this district. John Page and Thomas 
Wilkerson were appointed to this circuit. 

In the spring of this year Mr. M' Grady, a minister 
of the Presbyterian Church, who had a congregation 
and meeting-house, as we then called them, about 
three miles north of my father's house, appointed a 
sacramental meeting in this congregation, and invited 
the Methodist preachers to attend with them, and 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 37 

especially John Page, who was a powerful Gospel 
minister, and was very popular among the Presbyte- 
rians. Accordingly he came, and preached with 
great power and success. 

There were no camp meetings in regular form at this 
time, but as there was a great waking up among the 
Churches, from the revival that had broken out at 
Cane Ridge, before mentioned, many flocked to those 
sacramental meetings. The church would not hold 
the tenth part of the congregation. Accordingly, the 
officers of the Church erected a stand in a contigu- 
ous shady grove, and prepared seats for a large con- 
gregation. 

The people crowded to this meeting from far and 
near. They came in their large wagons, with victuals 
mostly prepared. The women slept in the wagons, 
and the men under them. Many staid on the 
ground night and day for a number of nights and 
days together. Others were provided for among the 
neighbors around. The power of God was wonder- 
fully displayed; scores of sinners fell under the 
preaching, like men slain in mighty battle; Chris- 
tians shouted aloud for joy. 

To this meeting I repaired, a guilty, wretched sin-, 
ner. On the Saturday evening of said meeting I 
went, with weeping multitudes, and bowed before 
the stand, and earnestly prayed for mercy. In the 
midst of a solemn struggle of soul, an impression was 
made on my mind, as though a voice said to me, 
"Thy sins are all forgiven thee." Divine light 
flashed all round me, unspeakable joy sprung up in 
my soul. I rose to my feet, opened my eyes, and it 
really seemed as if I was in heaven; the trees, the 
leaves on them, and every thing seemed, and I really 
thought were, praising God. My mother raised the 



88 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

shout, my Christian friends crowded around me and 
joined me in praising God; and though I have been 
since then, in many instances, unfaithful, yet I have" 
never, for one moment, doubted that the Lord did, 
then and there, forgive my sins and give me religion. 

Our meeting lasted without intermission all night, 
and it was believed by those who had a very good 
right to know, that over eighty souls were converted 
to God during its continuance. I went on my way 
rejoicing for many days. This meeting was in the 
month of May. In June our preacher, John Page, at- 
tended at our little church, JEbenezer, and there in 
June, 1801, 1 joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
which I have never for one moment regretted. I have 
never for a moment been tempted to leave the Meth' 
odist Episcopal Church, and if they w^ere to turn me 
out I would knock at the door till taken in again. I 
suppose, from the year 1786 Methodist preachers had 
been sent to the west, and we find among these very 
early pioneers, F. Poythress, presiding elder, T. Wil- 
liamson, I. Brooks, Wilson Lee, James Haw, P. 
Massie, B. M'Henry, B. Snelling, J. Hartly, J. Tal- 
man, J. Lillard, Kobler, and others. 

Perhaps the first conference held in the west 
was held in Kentucky, in April, 1789, and then at 
different points till 1800, when the Western confer- 
ence was regularly organized, and reached from Red- 
stone and Greenbrier to Natchez, covering almost 
the entire Mississippi Valley. I can find at this time 
a record of but ninety members in 1787, and five 
traveling preachers. From 1787 up to 1800 Bishop 
Asbury visited the western world, called together 
the preachers in conferences, changed them from 
time to time, and regulated the affairs of the infant 
Church in the wilderness as best he could. 



PETER CART WEIGHT. 39 

Several times the western preachers had to arm 
themselves in crossing the mountains to the east, 
and guard Bishop Asbury through the wilderness, 
which was infested with bloody, hostile savages, at 
the imminent risk of all their lives. Notwithstand- 
ing the great hazard of life, that eminent apostle of 
American Methodism, Bishop Asbury, showed that 
he did not count his life dear, so that he could pro- 
vide for the sheep in the wilderness of the west. 

At the time I joined the Church in 1801, accord- 
ing to the best accounts that I can gather, there were 
in the entire bounds of the Western conference, of 
members, probationers, colored and all, two thou- 
sand, four hundred and eighty-four, and about fifteen 
traveling preachers. In the United States and terri- 
tories, east and west, north and south, and Canada, 
seventy- two thousand, eight hundred and seventy- 
four. Total, in Europe and America, one hundred 
and ninety-six thousand, five hundred and two. The 
number of traveling preachers this year, for all 
America and Canada, was three hundred and seven ; 
and during the same year there were eight thousand 
members added to the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

I believe, to say nothing of some local preachers 
who emigrated to the west at a very e^rly day, that 
James Haw and Benjamin Ogden were the first two 
regular itinerant preachers sent out in 1786. After 
traveling and preaching for several years, they 
both became disafi'ected to the Methodist Episcopal 
Church and withdrew, with the secession of James 
O'Kelly, elsewhere named in my sketches. O'Kelly 
left the Church in 1792. He was a popular and 
powerful preacher, and drew off many preachers and 
thousands of members with him. He formed what 
he called the Republican Methodist Church, flourish- 



40 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ed for a few years, and then divisions and subdivi- 
sions entered among his followers. Some of his 
preachers turned Arians, some Universalists, and 
some joined the so-called New Lights, and some re- 
turned to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the 
last authentic account I had of 'Kelly he was left 
alone in his old age, and desired to return to the 
Methodist Episcopal Church again; but whether he 
was ever received I am not informed. And here was 
an end of the first grand secession from our beloved 
Church. 

James Haw and Benjamin Ogden, we have said, 
became disaffected and left the Church with O'Kelly's 
party. They soon found that they could not succeed 
to any considerable extent in these western wilds. 
Haw veered about and joined the Presbyterians, be- 
came a pastor in one of their congregations with a 
fixed salary, but lived and died in comparative 
obscurity. 

Ogden backslid, quit preaching, kept a groggery, 
and became wicked, and raised his family to hate the 
Methodists. In the year 1813, when I was on the 
Wabash district, Tennessee conference, Breckenridge 
circuit, at a camp meeting in said circuit, B. Ogden 
attended. There was a glorious revival of religion, 
and Ogden got under strong conviction, and profess- 
ed to be reclaimed, joined the Church again, was 
licensed to preach, was soon recommended and re- 
ceived into the traveling connection again, and lived 
and died a good Methodist preacher. He was saved 
by mercy, as all seceders from the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church will be, if saved at all. 

To show the ignorance the early Methodist preach- 
ers had to contend with in the western wilds, I 
will relate an incident or two that ocurred to Wilson 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 41 

Lee in Kentucky. He Avas one of the early pioneer 
Methodist preachers sent to the west. He was a 
very solemn and grave minister. At one of his ap- 
pointments, at a private house on a certain day, they 
had a motherless pet lamb. The boys of the family 
had mischievously learned this lamb to butt. They 
would go near it, and make motions with their heads, 
and the lamb would back and then dart forward at 
them, and they would jump out of the way, so that 
the sheep would miss them. 

A man came into the congregation who had been 
drinking and frolicking all the night before. He 
came in late, and took his seat on the end of a bench 
nearly in the door, and, having slept none the night 
before, presently he began to nod ; and as he nodded 
and bent forward, the pet lamb came along by the 
door, and seeing this man nodding and bending for- 
ward, he took it as a banter, and straightway backed 
and then sprang forward, and gave the sleeper a severe 
jolt right on the head, and over he tilted him, to the 
no small amusement of the congregation, who all 
burst out into laughter ; and grave as the preacher, 
Mr. Lee, was, it so excited his risibilities that he 
almost lost his balance. But recovering himself a 
little, he went on in a most solemn and impressive 
strain. His subject was the words of our Lord : 
" Except a man deny himself, and take up his cross, 
he can not be my disciple." He urged on his congre- 
gation, with melting voice and tearful eyes, to take 
up the cross, no matter what it was, take it up. 

There were in the congregation a very wicked 
Dutchman and his wife, both of whom were pro- 
foundly ignorant of the Scriptures and the plan of 
salvation. His wife was a notorious scold, and so 
much was she given to this practice, that she made 

4 



42 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

her husband unhappy, and kept him almost always in 
a perfect fret, so that he led a most miserable and 
uncomfortable life. It pleased God that day to cause 
the preaching of Mr. Lee to reach their guilty souls 
and break up the great deep of their hearts. They 
wept aloud, seeing their lost condition, and they, 
then and there, resolved to do better, and from that 
time forward to take up the cross and bear it, be it 
what it might. 

The congregation were generally deeply affected. 
Mr. Lee exhorted them and prayed for them as long 
as he consistently could, and, having another appoint- 
ment some distance off that evening, he dismissed the 
congregation, got a little refreshment, saddled his 
horse, mounted, and started for his evening appoint- 
ment. After riding some distance, he saw, a little 
ahead of him, a man trudging along, carrying a wo- 
man on his back. This greatly surprised Mr. Lee. 
He very naturally supposed that the woman was a 
cripple, or had hurt herself in some way, so that she 
could not walk. The traveler was a small man, and 
the woman large and heavy. 

Before he overtook them Mr. Lee began to cast 
about in his mind how he could render them assist- 
ance. When he came up to them, lo and behold, who 
should it be but the Dutchman and his wife that had 
been so affected under his sermon at meeting ! Mr. 
Lee rode up and spoke to them, and inquired of the 
man what had happened, or what was the matter, 
that he was carrying his wife. 

The Dutchman turned to Mr. Lee and said, " Be- 
sure you did tell us in your sarmon dat we must take 
up de cross and follow de Savior, or dat we could 
not be saved or go to heaven, and I does desire to go 
to heaven so much as any pody ; and dish vife is so 



PETER CA^T WRIGHT. 43 

pad, slie scold and scold all de time, and dish woman 
is de Greatest cross I have in de whole world, and I 
does take her up and pare her, for I must save my 
soul." 

You may be sure that Mr. Lee was posed for once, 
but after a few moments' reflection he told the Dutch- 
man to put his wife down, and he dismounted from 
his horse. He directed them to sit down on a log by 
the road side. He held the reins of his horse's bridle 
and sat down by them, took out his Bible, read to 
them several passages of Scripture, and explained and 
expounded to them the way of the Lord more per- 
fectly. He opened to them the nature of the cross 
of Christ, what it is, how it is to be taken up, and how 
they were to bear that cross ; and after teaching and 
advising them some time, he prayed for them by the 
road side, left them deeply affected, mounted his horse, 
and rode on to his evening appointment. 

Long before Mr. Lee came around his circuit to his 
next appointment, the Dutchman and his scolding 
wife were both powerfully converted to God, and 
when he came round he took them into the Church. 
The Dutchman's wife was cured of her scolding. Of 
course he got clear of this cross. They lived together 
long and happily, adorning their profession, and giv- 
ing ample evidence that religion could cure a scold- 
ing wife, and that God could and did convert poor 
ignorant Dutch people. 

The Dutchman often told his experience in love- 
feasts, with thrilhng effect, and hardly ever failed to 
melt the whole congregation into a flood of tears ; 
and on one particular occasion which is vividly printed 
on my recollection, I believe the whole congregation 
in the l^ve-feast, which lasted beyond the time allotted 
for such meetings, broke out into a loud shout 



44 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Thus brother Lee was the honored instrument in 
the hand of God of pLmting Methodism, amid clouds 
of ignorance and opposition, among the early settlers 
of the far west. Brother Lee witnessed a good con- 
fession to the end. At an early period of his minis- 
try he fell from the walls of Zion with the trump of 
God in his hand, and has gone to his reward in heaven. 
Peace to his memory! 



PETER CARTWRIG II T. 45 



CHAPTER V. 

THE GREAT REVIVAL. 

From 1801 for years a blessed revival of religion 
spread through almost the entire inhabited parts of 
the west, Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and 
many other parts, especially through the Cumberland 
country, which was so called from the Cumberland 
river, which headed and mouthed in Kentucky, but 
in its great bend circled south through Tennessee, 
near Nashville. The Presbyterians and Methodists 
in a great measure united in this work, met together, 
prayed together, and preached together. 

In this revival originated our camp meetings, and 
in both these denominations they were held every year, 
and, indeed, have been ever since, more or less. They 
would erect their camps with logs or frame them, and 
cover them with clapboards or shingles. They would 
also erect a shed, sufficiently large to protect five thou- 
sand people from wind and rain, and cover it with 
boards or shingles ; build a large stand, seat the shed, 
and here they would collect together from forty to fifty 
miles around, sometimes further than that. Ten, 
twenty, and sometimes thirty ministers, of different, 
denominations, would come together and preach night 
and day, four or five days together ; and, indeed, I 
have known these camp meetings to last three or four 
weeks, and great good resulted from them. I have 
seen more than a hundred sinners fall like dead 
men under one powerful sermon, and I have seen and 



46 A UTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

heard more than five hundred Christians all shouting 
aloud the high praises of God at once; and I will ven- 
ture to assert that many happy thousands were awak- 
ened and converted to God at these camp meetings. 
Some sinners mocked, some of the old dry professors 
opposed, some of the old starched Presbyterian 
preachers preached against these exercises, but still 
the work went on and spread almost in every direc- 
tion, gathering additional force, till our country 
seemed all coming home to God. 

In this great revival the Methodists kept moder- 
ately balanced; for we had excellent preachers to 
steer the ship or guide the flock. But some of our 
members ran wild, and indulged in some extrava- 
'gances that were hard to control. 

The Presbyterian preachers and members, not being 
accustomed to much noise or shouting, when they 
yielded to it went into great extremes and downright 
wildness, to the great injury of the cause of God. 
Their old preachers licensed a great many young men 
to preach, contrary to their Confession of Faith. 
That Confession of Faith required their ministers to 
believe in unconditional election and reprobation, and 
the unconditional and final perseverance of the saints. 
But in this revival they, almost to a man, gave up 
these points of high Calvinism, and preached a free 
salvation to all mankind. The Westminister Con- 
fession required every man, before he could be licensed 
to preach, to have a liberal education ; but this quali- 
fication was dispensed with, and a great many fine 
men were licensed to preach without this literary 
qualification or subscribing to those high-toned doc- 
trines of Calvinism. 

This state of things produced great dissatisfaction 
in the Synod of Kentucky, and messenger after mes- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 47 

senger was sent to wait on the Presbytery to get 
them to desist from their erratic course, but with- 
out success. Finally they were cited to trial before 
the constituted authorities of the Church. Some 
were censured, some were suspended, some retraced 
their steps, while others surrendered their credentials 
of ordination, and the rest were cut off from the 
Church. 

While in this amputated condition, they called a 
general meeting of all their licentiates. They met 
our presiding elder, J. Page, and a number of Meth- 
odist ministers at a quarterly meeting in Logan 
county, and proposed to join the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church as a body ; but our aged ministers declined 
this offer, and persuaded them to rise up and embody 
themselves together, and constitute a Church. They 
reluctantly yielded to this advice, and, in due time 
and form, constituted what they denominated the 
"Cumberland Presbyterian Church;" and in their 
Confession of Faith split, as they supposed, the differ- 
ence between the predestinarians and the Methodists, 
rejecting a partial atonement or special election and 
reprobation, but retaining the doctrine of the final 
unconditional perseverance of the saints. 

What an absurdity! While a man remains a sin- 
ner he may come, as a free agent, to Christ, if he will, 
and if he does not come his damnation will be just, 
because he refused offered mercy; but as soon as 
he gets converted, his free agency is destroyed, the 
best boon of Heaven is then lost, and although he may 
backslide, wander away from. Christ, yet he shall 
be brought in. He can not finally be lost if he has 
ever been really converted to God. 

They make a very sorry show in their attempt to 
support this left foot of Calvinism. But be it spoken 



48 AUTOBIOGEAPHYOF 

to their credit, they do not often preach this doc- 
trine. They generally preach Methodist doctrine^ 
and have been the means of doing a great deal of 
good, and would have done much more if they had 
left this relic of John Calvin behind. 

In this revival, usually termed in the west the Cum- 
berland revival, many joined the different Churches, 
especially the Methodist and Cumberland Presbyte- 
rians. The Baptists also came in for a share of the 
converts, but not to any great extent. Infidelity 
quailed before the mighty power of God, which was 
displayed among the people. Universahsm was al- 
most driven from the land. The predestinarians of 
almost all sorts put forth a mighty effort to stop the 
work of God. 

Just in the midst of our controversies on the subject 
of the powerful exercises among the people under 
preaching, a new exercise broke out among us, called 
the jerJcs, w^hich was overwhelming in its effects upon 
the bodies and minds of the people. No matter 
whether they were saints or sinners, they would be 
taken under a warm song or sermon, and seized with 
a convulsive jerking all over, w^hich they could not 
by any possibility avoid, and the more they resisted 
the more they jerked. If they w^ould not strive 
against it and pray in good earnest, the jerking would 
usually abate. I have seen more than five hundred 
persons jerking at one time in my large congregations. 
Most usually persons taken with the jerks, to obtain 
relief, as they said, would rise up and dance. Some 
would run, but could not get away. Some would re- 
sist ; on such the jerks were generally very severe. 

To see those proud young gentlemen and young 
ladies, dressed in their silks, jewelry, and prunella, 
from top to toe, take the jerks, would often excite my 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 49 

risibilities. The first jerk or so, you would see their 
fine bonnets, caps, and combs fly; and so sudden 
would be the jerking of the head that their long 
loose hair would crack almost as loud as a wagoner's 
whip. 

At one of my appointments in 1804 there was a 
very large congregation turned out to hear the Ken- 
tucky boy, as they called me. Among the rest there 
were two very finely-dressed, fashionable young 
ladies, attended by two brothers with loaded horse- 
whips. Although the house was large, it was crowded. 
The two young ladies, coming in late, took their seats 
near where I stood, and their two brothers stood in the 
door. I was a little unwell, and I had a phial of pep- 
permint in my pocket. Before I commenced preach- 
ing I took out my phial and swallowed a little of the 
peppermint. While I was preaching the congrega- 
tion was melted into tears. The two young gentle- 
men moved off to the yard fence, and both the young 
ladies took the jerks, and they were greatly mortified 
about it. There was a great stir in the congregation. 
Some wept, some shouted, and before our meeting 
closed several were converted. 

As I dismissed the assembly a man stepped up to 
me, and warned me to be on my guard, for he had 
heard the two brothers swear they would horsewhip 
me when meeting was out, for giving their sisters the 
jerks. "Well," said I, "I'll see to that." 

I went out and said to the young men that I under- 
stood they intended to horsewhip me for giving their 
sisters the jerks. One replied that he did. I under- 
took to expostulate with him on the absurdity of the 
charge against me, but he swore I need not deny it; 
for he had seen me take out a phial, in which I car- 
ried some truck that gave his sisters the jerks. As 

5 



50 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

quick as thought it came into my mind how I would 
get clear of my whipping, and, jerking out the pep- 
permint phial, said I, " Yes ; if 1 gave your sisters the 
jerks I '11 give them to you." In a moment I saw he 
was scared. I moved toward him, he backed, I ad- 
vanced, and he wheeled and ran, warning me not to 
come near him, or he would kill me. It raised the 
laugh on him, and I escaped my whipping. I had 
the pleasure, before the year was out, of seeing all 
four soundly converted to God, and I took them into 
the Church. 

While I am on this subject I will relate a very seri- 
ous circumstance which I knew to take place with a 
man who had the jerks at a camp meeting, on what was 
called the Ridge, in William Magee's congregation. 
There was a great work of religion in the encamp- 
ment. The jerks were very prevalent. There was a 
company of drunken rowdies who came to interrupt 
the meeting. These rowdies were headed by a very 
large drinking man. They came with their bottles 
of whisky in their pockets. This large man cursed 
the jerks, and all religion. Shortly afterward he took 
the jerks, and he started to run, but he jerked so 
powerfully he could not get away. He halted among 
some saplings, and, although he was violently agitated, 
he took out his bottle of whisky, and swore he would 
drink the damned jerks to death ; but he jerked at 
such a rate he could not get the bottle to his mouth, 
though he tried hard. At length he fetched a sudden 
jerk, and the bottle struck a sapling and was broken 
to pieces, and spilled his whisky on the ground. There 
was a great crowd gathered round him, and when he 
lost his whisky he became very much enraged, and 
cursed and swore very profanely, his jerks still in- 
creasing. At length he fetched a very violent jerk, 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 51 

snapped his neck, fell, and soon expired, witli his 
mouth full of cursing and bitterness. 

I always looked upon the jerks as a judgment sent 
from Grod, first, to bring sinners to repentance; and, 
secondly, to show professors that God could work with 
or without means, and that he could work over and 
above means, and do whatsoever seemeth him good, 
to the glory of his grace and the salvation of the 
w^orld. 

There is no doubt in my mind that, with weak- 
minded, ignorant, and superstitious persons, there 
was a great deal of sympathetic feeling with many 
that claimed to be under the influence of this jerk- 
ing exercise; and yet, with many, it was perfectly 
involuntary. It was, on all occasions, my practice 
to recommend fervent prayer as a remedy, and it 
almost universally proved an effectual antidote. 

There were many other strange and wild exercises 
into which the subjects of this revival fell; such, for 
instance, as what was called the running, jumping, 
barking exercise. The Methodist preachers general- 
ly preached against this extravagant wildness. I 
did it uniformly in my little ministrations, and 
sometimes gave great offense ; but I feared no con- 
sequences when I felt my awful responsibilities to 
God. From these wild exercises another great evil 
arose from the heated and wild imaginations of some. 
They professed to fall into trances and see visions ; 
they would fall at meetings and sometimes at home, 
and lay apparently powerless and motionless for days, 
sometimes for a week at a time, without food or 
drink; and when they came to, they professed to 
have seen heaven and hell, to have seen God, 
angels, the devil and the damned ; they w^ould proph- 
esy, and, under the pretense of Divine inspiration, 



52 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

predict the time of the end of the world, and the 
ushering in of the great millennium. 

This was the most troublesome delusion of all; 
it made such an appeal to the ignorance, supersti- 
tion, and credulity of the people, even saint as well 
as sinner. I watched this matter with a vigilant eye. 
If I opposed it, I would have to meet the clamor 
of the multitude; and if any one opposed it, these 
very visionists would single him out, and denounce 
the dreadful judgments of God against him. They 
would even set the very day that God was to burn 
the world, like the self-deceived modern Millerites. 
They would prophesy, that if any one did oppose 
them, God would send fire down from heaven 
and consume him, like the blasphemous Shakers. 
They would proclaim that they could heal all manner 
of diseases, and raise the dead, just like the diabol- 
ical Mormons. They professed to have converse with 
spirits of the dead in heaven and hell, like the modern 
spirit-rappers. Such a state of things I never saw 
before, and I hope in God I shall never see again. 

I pondered well the whole matter in view of my 
responsibilities, searched the Bible for the true fulfill- 
ment of promise and prophecy, prayed to God for 
light and Divine aid, and proclaimed open war against 
these delusions. In the midst of them along came 
the Shakers, and Mr. Rankin, one of the Presbyte- 
rian revival preachers, joined them; Mr. G. Wall, 
a visionary local preacher among the Methodists, 
joined them; all the country was in commotion. 

I made public appointments and drew multitudes 
together, and openly showed from the Scriptures that 
these delusions were false. Some of these visionary 
men and women prophesied that God would kill 
me. The Shakers soon pretended to seal my damna- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 53 

tion. But, nothing daunted, for I knew Him in whom 
I had believed, I threw my appointments in the midst 
of them, and proclaimed to listening thousands the 
more sure word of prophecy. This mode of attack 
threw a damper on these visionary, self-deluded, false 
prophets, sobered some, reclaimed others, and staid 
the fearful tide of delusion that was sweeping over 
the country. 

I will here state a case which occurred at an early 
day in the state of Indiana, at a settlement called 
Busroe. Many of the early emigrants to that settle- 
ment w^ere Methodists, Baptists, and Cumberland 
Presbyterians. ,The Shaker priests, all apostates 
from the Baptists and the Cumberland Presbyterians, 
went over among them. Many of them I was per- 
sonally acquainted with, and had given them letters 
wdien they moved from Kentucky to that new country. 
There were then no Methodist circuit preachers in 
that region. 

There was an old brother Collins, a local preacher, 
who withstood these Shakers, and in private combat 
he was a full match for any of them ; but he was not 
eloquent in public debate, and hence the Shaker 
priests overcame my old brother, and by scores swept 
members of different Churches away from their stead- 
fastness into the muddy pool of Shakerism. 

The few who remained steadfast sent to Kentucky 
for me, praying me to come and help them. I sent 
an appointment, with an invitation to meet any or 
all of the Shaker priests in public debate ; but instead 
of meeting me, they appointed a meeting in opposi- 
tion, and warned the believers, as they called them, 
to keep away from my meeting ; but, from our for- 
mer acquaintance and intimate friendship, many of 
them came to hear me. I preached to a vast crowd 



54 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

for about three hours, and I verily believe God helped 
me. The very foundations of every Shaker present 
were shaken from under him. They then besought 
me to go to the Shaker meeting that night. I went, 
and when I got there we had a great crowd. I pro- 
posed to them to have a debate, and they dared not 
refuse. The terms were these : A local preacher I 
had with me was to open the debate; then one or all 
of their preachers, if they chose, were to follow, and 
I was to bring up the rear. My preacher opened 
the debate by merely stating the points of difference. 
Mr. Brayelton followed, and, instead of argument, he 
turned every thing into abuse and insulting slander. 
Then he closed, and Mr. Gill rose, but, instead of ar- 
gument, he uttered a few words of personal abuse, 
and then called on all the Shakers to meet him a few 
minutes in the yard, talk a little, and then disperse. 

Our debate was out in the open air, at the end of 
a cabin. I rose, called them to order, and stated 
that it was fairly agreed by these Shaker priests that 
I should bring up the rear, or close the argument. 
I stated that it was cowardly to run ; that if I was 
the devil himself, and they were right, I could not 
hurt them. I got the most of them to take their 
seats and hear me. Mr. Gill gathered a little band, 
and he and they left. They had told the people in 
the day that if I continued to oppose them, God 
would make an example of me, and send fire from 
heaven and consume me. When I rose to reply I 
felt a divine sense of the approbation of God, and 
that he would give me success. 

I addressed the multitude about three hours, and 
when I closed my argument I opened the door of the 
Church, and invited all that would renounce Shaker- 
ism to come and give me their hand. Forty-seven 



PETER .CARTWRIGIIT. 55 

came forward, and then and there openlj renounced 
the dreadful delusion. The next day I followed those 
that fled ; and the next day I went from cabin to cabin, 
taking the names of those that returned to the solid 
foundation of truth, and my number rose to eighty- 
seven. I then organized them into a regular societ}^, 
and the next fall had a preacher sent to them. And 
perhaps this victory may be considered among the 
first-fruits of Methodism in that part of this new 
country. This was in 1808. 

At 'this meeting I collected, as well as I could, 
the names and places where it was supposed they 
wanted Methodist preaching. I made out and re- 
turned a kind of plan for a circuit, carried it to con- 
ference, and they were temporarily supplied by the 
presiding elder in 1809 and 1810. In 1811 the cir^ 
cuit was called St. Vincennes, and was attached to the 
Cumberland district, and Thomas Stilwell appointed 
the preacher in charge. 



56 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER VI. 

EXHORTING AND FIRST PREACHING. 

I WILL now resume my personal narrative. I went 
on enjoying great comfort and peace. I attended 
several camp meetings among the Methodist's and 
Presbyterians. At all of them there were many 
souls converted to God. At one of these camp 
meetings something like the following incident oc- 
curred : 

There was a great stir of religion in the crowded 
congregation that attended. Many opposed the work, 

and among the rest a Mr. D , who called himself 

a Jew. He was tolerably smart, and seemed to take 
great delight in opposing the Christian religion. In 
the intermissions, the young men and boys of us, who 
professed religion, would retire to the woods and hold 
prayer meetings ; and if we knew of any boys that 
were seeking religion, we would take them along and 
pray for them. Many of them obtained religion in 
these praying circles, and raise loud shouts of praise 
to God, in which those of us that were religious would 
join. 

One evening a large company of us retired for 
prayer. In the midst of our little meeting this 
Jew appeared, and he desired to know what we 
were about. Well, I told him. He said it was all 
wrong, that it was idolatry to pray to Jesus Christ, 
and that God did not nor would he answer such 
prayers. I soon saw his object was to get us into de- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 57 

bate and break up our prayer meeting. I asked him, 
" Do you really believe there is a God ?" 

"Yes, I do/' said he. 

"Do you believe that God will hear your prayers ? " 

"Yes," said he. 

" Do you really believe that this work among us is 
wrong?" 

He answered, "Yes." 

"Well now, my dear sir," said I, "let us test this 
matter. If you are in earnest, get down here and 
pray to God to stop this work, and if it is wrong, he 
will answer your petition and stop it; if it is- not 
wrong, all hell can not stop it." 

The rest of our company seeing me so bold took 
courage. The Jew hesitated. I said, " Get down in- 
stantly and pray; for if we are wrong we want to 
know it." After still lingering and showing unmis- 
takable signs of his unwillingness, I rallied him again. 
Slowly he kneeled, cleared his throat, and coughed. 
I said, " Now, boys, pray with all your might that God 
may answer by fire." 

Our Jew began, and said, tremblingly, " Lord 
God Almighty," and coughed again, cleared his throat, 
and started again, repeating the same words. We 
saw his evident confusion, and we simultaneously 
prayed out aloud at the top of our voices. The Jew 
leaped up and started off, and we raised the shout, 
and had a glorious time. Several of our mourners 
were converted, and we all rose and started into camp 
at the top of our speed, shouting, having, as we firmly 
believed, obtained a signal victory over the devil and 
the Jew. 

In 1802 William M'Kendree was presiding elder 
of Kentucky district. John Page and Thomas Wil- 
kerson were appointed to the Cumberland circuit. 



58 AUTOBIOGRAPUYOF 

The conference this fall was held at Strother's Meet- 
ing-House, Tennessee. This was the first time I saw 
Bishop Asbury, that great, devoted man of God. 
Here the Cumberland district was formed, and John 
Page appointed presiding elder. The name of Cum- 
berland circuit was changed into Red River circuit, 
and Jesse Walker was appointed to ride it. This was 
the circuit on which I lived. 

The membership of the Western conference this 
year numbered seven thousand, two hundred and one ; 
the traveling preachers numbered twenty-seven, pro- 
bationers and all. 

At a quarterly meeting held in the spring of this 
year, 1802, Jesse Walker, our preacher in charge, 
came to me and handed me a small slip of paper, with 
these words written on it : 

" Peter Cartwright is hereby permitted to exercise 
his gifts as an exhorter in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, so long as his practice is agreeable to the 
Gospel. Signed in behalf of the society at Ebenezer. 

" Jesse Walker, A. P. 

<< May, 1802." 

I was very much surprised. I had not been talked 
to by the preacher, nor had I formally attempted to 
exhort. It is true, in class antl other meetings, when 
my soul was filled with the love of God, I would mount 
a bench and exhort with all the power I had ; and it 
is also true that my mind had been deeply exercised 
about exhorting and preaching too. I told brother 
Walker I did not want license to exhort ; that if I did 
not feel happy I could not exhort, but if my soul got 
happy I felt that I had license enough. He urged 
me to keep the license, alleging that it was the more 
orderly way, and I yielded to his advice. 

To show how matters were done up in those early 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 59 

days of Methodism, I will here state that this permit 
to exhort was all the license I ever received from the 
Church to preach till I received my parchment of 
ordination. 

The fall of this year my father moved from Logan 
county down toward the mouth of the Cumberland 
river, into what was called Lewiston county. This 
was a new country, and at least eighty miles from any 
circuit. There was no regular circuit, and no organ- 
ized classes; but there were a good many scattering 
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church through 
that region of country. I applied to brother Page, 
our presiding elder, for a letter for myself, my mother, 
and one sister, which he gave us. On examination, 
I found that mine contained a "Benjamin's mess." It 
not only stated my membership and authority to ex- 
hort, but it gave me authority to travel through all 
that destitute region, hold meetings, organize classes, 
and, in a word, to form a circuit, and meet him the 
next fall at the fourth quarterly meeting of the Red 
River circuit, with a plan of a new circuit, number 
of members, names of preachers, if any, exhorters, 
class-leaders, etc., etc., etc. I am sorry I did not 
preserve the document ; for surely, all things consid- 
ered, it would be a curiosity to educated and refined 
Methodists at this day. 

I felt bad on the reception of this paper, and told 
brother Page I did not want to take it, for I saw 
through the solemn responsibiUties it rolled upon me. 
I told him just to give me a simple letter of member- 
ship ; that, although I did think at times that it was 
ray duty to preach, I had little education, and that it 
was my intention to go to school the next year. He 
then told me that this was the very best school or 
college that I could find between heaven and earth, 



60 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

but advised me, when my father got settled down 
there, if I could find a good moral school with a good 
teacher, to go to it through the winter ; then, in the 
spring and summer, form the circuit, and do the best 
I could. 

Shortly after my father settled himself, I inquired 
for a good teacher and school, and found that there 
was one a few miles off, taught by a well-educated 
teacher, a Seceder minister, who had finished his 
education in Lexington, Ky., under a Mr. Rankin. 
I went and entered as a scholar, and boarded with a 
fine old Methodist man, close by. This school was 
called Brown's Academy. He taught all the branches 
of a common English education, also the dead lan- 
guages. I now thought Providence had opened my 
way to obtain a good education, which I had so long 
desired, and of which I had been deprived without 
remedy. I entered the school, and was making very 
rapid progress. 

The brother with whom I boarded, being a zealous 
man of God, insisted that we should hold meetings on 
Sundays and in the evenings. To this I consented. 
We held prayer meetings on evenings, and Sundays I 
attempted to exhort the large congregations that at- 
tended. We soon collected a small class from the 
scattered Methodists around, had a few conversions, 
and I began to think that God had wonderfully opened 
my way before me. But soon a storm of persecution 
arose. My teacher was a very bigoted Seceder, and 
I believe he hated the Methodists more than he hated 
the devil. I know he hated them worse than the bot- 
tle, for he would get drunk at times. 

There was a large class of young men in school 
about my age, and they were very wicked and pro- 
fane. I saw my perilous condition, and put myself 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 61 

under strong restraints, so that I sliould give no one 
any just offense. My teacher would try to draw me 
into debate, but this I avoided. The young men set 
themselves to play tricks and start false reports on 
me, by way of diversion called me the Methodist 
preacher. Teacher and all would do this. I told Mr. 
Brown and all the rest that I was no preacher, but 
that I wished I was a good one. At length two of 
these young students fixed a plan to duck me in the 
creek that ran hard by. There was a very beautiful 
grassy plat of ground right on the bank of the creek, 
in a retired spot. The bank was about seven feet per- 
pendicular, and there was a deep hole of water right 
opposite in which the water was ten feet deep. They 
decoyed me to this place under the pretense that they 
wanted me to pray for them, pretending to be in great 
distress on account of their sins. I was suspicious, 
but thought if they were sincere it would be wrong to 
refuse them. So, putting myself on my guard as best 
I could, I w^ent with them, not knowing their plan. 
When we came to the bank of the creek they both 
seized me, intending to throw me over the perpen- 
dicular bank into the deep water. As quick as 
thought I jerked loose from one, and gave the other a 
sudden flirt over the bank into the stream. The other 
and I clinched, and, being nearly equal in strength, a 
hard tussle ensued. In the scufile we fell to the 
ground, and I rolled over toward the precipice, hold- 
ing him fast, till at length into the deep hole we both 
went, and then had to swim out. 

Although this to me was an unpleasant affair, yet 
there was no shouting over me ; for if I had got wet, 
I had ducked both of them. I bore all these things 
for some time patiently, but, my difficulties increas- 
ing, I complained to Mr. Brown, the teacher. He 



62 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

would do nothing to bring things right. I then left 
the school, deeply regretting that I was thereby de- 
prived of the privilege of finishing my education. I 
then prepared myself, and started out to form a kind 
of circuit, and gather up scattered members and organ- 
ize classes. I had much opposition in some places, but 
in others was kindly received. We had some very 
powerful displays of Divine grace, a goodly number 
obtained religion, and I received about seventy into 
society, appointed leaders, met classes, sung, prayed, 
and exhorted, and, under the circumstances, did the 
best I knew how. 

Here I found the celebrated James Axley, and took 
him into the Church. Peace to his memory! He 
was in after years favorably known as a powerful and 
successful traveling preacher. He was a great and 
good man of God. He married, located, and long 
since went to his reward. 

In the fall of this year, 1803, I met brothers Page 
and Walker, reported my success, and the plan of the 
circuit. It was called Livingston circuit, and Jesse 
Walker w^as appointed to it, and traveled it in 1804 
and 1805. The increase of members this year was 
over nine thousand throughout the connection. In 
the Western conference the increase was fifteen hun- 
dred. The number of traveling preachers was about 
thirty-five. There were four presiding-elder districts 
in the Western conference: Holston, Cumberland, 
Kentucky, and Ohio. Brother Page located, and 
Lewis Garrett succeeded him on the Cumberland dis- 
trict. The Red River circuit, in this district, was a 
very large one. It had but one preacher appointed 
to it, namely, Ralph Lotspeich. 

Brother Garrett, the new elder, called on me at my 
father's, and urged me to go on this circuit with brother 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 63 

Lotspeich. My father was unwilling, but my mother 
urged me to go, and finally prevailed. This w^as in 
October, 1803, when I was a little over eighteen years 
of age. I had a hard struggle to give my consent, 
and although I thought it my duty to preach, yet I 
thought I could do this and not throw myself into 
the ranks as a circuit preacher, w^hen I was liable to 
be sent from Greenbrier to Natchez; no members 
hardly to support a preacher, the Discipline only 
allowing a single man eighty dollars, and in nine 
cases out of ten he could not get half of that amount. 
These were times that tried men's souls and bodies 
too. 

At last I literally gave up the world, and started, 
bidding farewell to father and mother, brothers and 
sisters, and met brother Lotspeich at an appointment 
in Logan county. He told me I must preach that 
night. This I had never done; mine was an exhort- 
er's dispensation. I tried to beg off, but he urged 
me to make the effort. I went out and prayed fer- 
vently for aid from heaven. All at once it seemed to 
me as if I could never preach at all, but I struggled 
in prayer. At length I asked God, if he had called 
me to preach, to give me aid that night, and give me 
one soul, that is, convert one soul under my preaching, 
as evidence that I was called to this work. 

I went into the house, took my stand, gave out a 
h^^mn, sang, and prayed. I then rose, gave them for a 
text Isaiah xxvi, 4 : " Trust ye in the Lord forever : for 
in the Lord Jehovah is everlastino- streno-th." The Lord 
gave light, liberty, and power; the congregation was 
melted into tears. There w^as present a professed in- 
fidel. The word reached his heart by the Eternal 
Spirit. He was powerfully convicted, and, as I be- 
lieve, soundly converted to God that night, and joined 



64 AUTOBIOGRAPHYOF 

the Church, and afterward became a useful member 
of the same. 

I traveled on this circuit one quarter, took twenty- 
five into the Church, and at the end of three months 
received six dollars. The health of brother Crutch- 
field, who was on the Waynesville circuit, having 
failed, he retired from labor, and brother Garrett 
placed me on that circuit in his place, and put on 
the circuit with me Thomas Lasley, a fine young 
man, the son of an old local preacher who lived in 
Green county. 

Our circuit was very large, reaching from the 
north of Green river to the Cumberland river, and 
south of said river into the state of Tennessee. Here 
was a vast field to work in ; our rides were long, our 
appointments few and far between. There were a 
great many Baptists in the bounds of the circuit, and 
among them were over thirty preachers, some of 
whom were said to be very talented. In the four 
weeks that it took us to go round the circuit, we had 
but two days' rest, and often we preached every day 
and every night, and although in my nineteenth year, 
I was nearly beardless, and cut two of my back jaw 
teeth this year. Hence they called me the boy 
preacher, and a great many flocked out to hear the 
boy. A revival broke out in many neighborhoods, 
and scores of souls were converted to God and joined 
the Methodist Episcopal Church ; but there was also 
considerable persecution. 

We had a preaching-place in what, at that early 
day, was called Stockton Valley. There were sev- 
eral members of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
scattered around in the neighborhood, but no organ- 
ized class. The Baptists, some years before, had a 
society here, and had built a log meeting-house, 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 65 

which was very common at an early day in the west. 
It was covered with boards. The Baptists flourished 
here for a considerable time, and they had enjoyed 
regular monthly preaching ; but the society had near- 
ly died out, and the preaching had been withdrawn 
for several years. The house was old and out of re- 
pair. As I passed round my circuit, I was requested 
to preach a funeral sermon at this old church. 
Accordingly, I left an appointment on a Sabbath. 
When I came there was a very large congregation. 
While I was preaching the power of God fell on the 
assembly, and there was an awful shaking among 
the dry bones. Several fell to the floor and cried for 
mercy. 

The people besought me to preach again at night, 
I gave out an appointment accordingly, and having 
several days' rest, owing to a new arrangement in 
the circuit, I kept up the meeting night and day for 
some time, and at every coming together we had a 
gracious work. Many obtained religion, and great 
was the joy of the people. There were twenty-three 
very clear and sound conversions. As a matter of 
course they felt a great love to me, whom they all 
claimed as the instrument, in the hand of God, of 
their conversion. I was young and inexperienced in 
doctrine, and especially was I unacquainted with the 
proselyting tricks of those that held to exclusive im- 
mersion as the mode, and the only mode, of baptism. 
I believe if I had opened the doors of the Church then, 
all of them would have joined the Methodist Church, 
but I thought I would give them time to inform 
themselves. Accordingly, I told them that when I 
came again I would explain our rules and open the 
doors of the Church, and then they could join us if 
they liked our rules and doctrines. In the mean 

6 



66 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

time I left them some copies of our Discipline to 
read. 

After doing this I started on mj circuit round; and 
although the Baptist preachers had left this place, 
without preaching in it for years, yet, in a few days 
after I was gone, there were sent on appointments 
for the next Sabbath three of the Baptist preachers, 
and they came on, and all three preached as their 
custom was, and they all opened with the cry of " Wa- 
ter, water ; you must follow your Lord down into the 
water." They then appointed what they called a 
union meeting there, to commence the next Friday 
and hold over Sabbath; and although I have lived 
long and studied hard, I have never to this day found 
out what a Baptist means by a union meeting. But 
to return. The few scattered Methodists in the neigh- 
borhood took the alarm, for fear these preachers would 
run my converts into the water before I would come 
round, and they dispatched an old exhorter after me, 
saying I must come immediately, or my converts 
would all be ducked. I had appointments out ahead, 
and I told the old exhorter if I went he must go on 
and fill my appointments, to which he readily agreed. 
So back I came on Friday to the commencement of 
their union meeting. Two of them preached, but 
they paid no attention to me at all. As they had no 
meeting at night, I gave out an appointment for night 

at S 's, Esq. He and his wife were two of my 

converts, and kind of leaders in the neighborhood. 
The people flocked out, and we had a good meeting 
and two conversions. 

Next day we repaired to the old log meeting-house, 
and heard two more water sermons. When they 
Avere done preaching, they opened the way for per- 
sons to join the Church by giving in their experi- 



PETER CART WEIGHT. 67 

ence. One old ladj rose, and gave in sometliing for 
an experience that had happened about ten years 
before. Then an old man rose, and told a remarkable 
dream he had in North Carolina twenty years before. 
They were both accordingly received by giving them 
the right hand of fellowship. There was then a 
seeming pause. The preachers urged the people to 
come forward and give in their experience. 0, how 
I felt ! I was afraid that some one of my young con- 
verts would break the way, and the rest would then 
follow, and so I would lose all my converts. At 
length one of those young converts rose, and gave in 
his experience, claiming me, under God, as the in- 
strument of his conviction and conversion ; then an- 
other and another, till twenty-three of them told their 
experience; every one of them claiming me, under 
God, as the instrument of their salvation. 

Their experiences were pronounced good, and the 
right hand of fellowship was freely given, and there 
was great joy in the camp, but it was death in the 
pot to me. I thought I could not bear up under it. 
I was sitting thinking what I would do. I am bereft 
of my children, and what have I left? Just behind 
me sat a very intelligent lady, who had long been a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. About 
the time they w^ere done giving the right hand of fel- 
lowship and rejoicing over my stolen children, a 
thought struck my mind very forcibly to give in my 
experience, and act as though I intended to join the 
Baptist Church. It may be that I can yet save them. 
I rose up, and gave in my experience; they gave 
me the right hand of fellowship, and then there was 
great rejoicing over the Methodist preaching boy. 

Just as I sat down I felt some one touch me on the 
shoulder. I turned, and as I looked round I met the 



68 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

eyes of my intelligent Methodist sister, and the large 
tears were coursing down her cheeks and dropping 
off her chin. 

"0, brother," said she, in a subdued tone, "are 
you going to leave us?" 

I replied to her, "Dear sister, fear not; I know 
what I am about. Pray hard. I hope to retake my 
children yet." And though she did not understand 
my plan, yet my reply seemed to quiet her fears. 

There was a fine creek running near the old church. 
The preachers directed us all to appear next morn- 
ing at nine o'clock, with a change of apparel, to be 
baptized. 

I held meeting again that night, and had a good 
time. My situation was a critical one. I had no 
one to advise with. I dared not tell any one what I 
was going to do, for fear my plan would out and my 
object be defeated. I rose early next morning, re- 
tired to the woods, and if ever I asked God in good 
earnest for help it was then. 

Brother and sister S , with whom I staid, 

prepared a change of appared, in order to baptism. 
At the appointed hour we all met at the creek, but I 
took no change of apparel. I had been baptized, 
and I did not intend to abjure my baptism. But I 
kept this all to myself. There was a great crowd out 
to see us immersed. My twenty-three young con- 
verts and the two old, dry dreamers that first gave in 
their experience, were all dressed and ready for the 
performance of what they considered to be their 
Christian duty. The preachers appeared. One of 
them sang and prayed, then gave us an exhortation, 
and bade us come forward. I knew all the time that 
it was all important to my success that I should present 
myself first. Accordingly I stepped forward, and said, 



PETER CART WRIGHT, 69 

" Brother M " — who was the preacher and ad- 
ministrator — " I wish to join the Baptist Church if I 
can come in with a good conscience. I have been 
baptized, and my conscience is perfectly satisfied 
with it, and I can not submit to be rebaptized. Can 
I come into your Church on these terms?" 

The position I occupied startled the preacher. 

"When were you baptized?" he asked. 

"Years gone by," I replied. 

"But how was it done? Who baptized you?" 
was the next inquiry. 

"One of the best preachers the Lord ever made." 

"Was it done by sprinkling?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"That is no baptism at all." 

I replied, " The Scriptures say that baptism is not 
the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the an- 
swer of a good conscience, and my conscience is per- 
fectly satisfied with my baptism, and your conscience 
has nothing to do with it." 

"Well," said he, "it is contrary to our faith and 
order to let you come into the Baptist Church in that 
way. We can not do it." 

"Brother M ," said I, "your faith and order 

must be wrong. The Church has heard my experi- 
ence and pronounced it good; and you believe that 
I am a Christian, and can not fall away so as to be 
finally lost. What am I to do? Are you going to 
keep me out of the Church, bleating round the walls 
like a lost sheep in a gang by myself? Brother 

M , you must receive me into the Church. I 

have fully made up my mind to join you on these 
terms; now, will you let me into the Church?" 

Our preacher by this time had evidently lost his 
patience, and very sharply bid me stand away, and 



70 AUTOBIOaRAPHYOF 

not detain others. It was an intensely-thrilling mo- 
ment with me. I cast a look around on the crowd, 
and saw they were enlisted in my favor. I cast a 
wistful eye on the young converts ; their eyes met 
mine most sympathetically, and many of them were 
weeping, they were so deeply affected. They all in- 
voluntarily seemed to move toward me, and their looks 
plainly spoke in my favor. It was an awful moment. 
0, how I felt ! who can describe my feelings ? 

I stepped aside. Brother S stood next to the 

preacher, dressed ready for baptism ; his wife was also 
dressed, and leaning on her husband's arm. Brother 
S said : 

"Brother M , are you going to reject brother 

Cartwright, and not receive him into the Church?" 

" I can not receive him," said brother M . 

"Well," said brother S , "if brother Cart- 
wright, who has been the means, in the hand of God, 
of my conversion, and the saving of so many precious 
souls, can not come into the Church, I can not and will 
not join it." "Nor I," said his wife; "Nor I," 
"Nor I;" and thus it went round, till every one of 
my twenty-three young converts filed off, and gath- 
ered around me. "That's right, brethren," said I, 
" stand by me, and do n't leave me ; the Lord Avill 
bring all right !" 

Well, the two old dreamers were baptized, and then 
the preachers urged the rest to come ; but all in vain. 
Now, my dear reader, just imagine, if you can, how I 
felt. I had a great mind to shout right out, and should 
have done so, but forbearance, at that time at least, 
was a virtue. 

From the creek we repaired to the old log church. 
Three of their ministers preached; and you may de- 
pend on it I got a large share of abuse. They com- 



P E T E E C A E T Yf Pt I (III T . 71 

pared me to the Pharisees of okl, for they said I would 
not go in myself, and those that would go in I had 
prevented ; but I bore it as best I could. They stated 
that in all probability these souls that I had hindered 
would be lost, and if so, their damnation would be 
laid to me; but this did not alarm me much, for they 
had pronounced us all Christians good and true, and 
had often in their sermons there said that if a person 
were really converted he never could lose his religion. 
How, then, could we be lost ? and what was there to 
alarm us ? The congregation saw the absurdity, and 
more and more were interested in my favor. 

Next came on their communion. There were some 
loose planks laid across the benches, and all the mem- 
bers of their particular faith that had been immersed 
were invited to seat themselves on these planks. I 
was determined to give them another downward tilt, 
so I took my seat with the communicants ; and some 
of the young converts, seeing me do so, seated them- 
selves there also. But when the deacons came with 
the bread and wine, they passed us by. When they 
had got round, I rose and asked for the bread and 
wine for myself and the young converts. This threw 
a difficulty in the way of the deacons ; however, they 
asked the preacher if they might give us the elements. 
The preachers peremptorily forbade it. 

1 then said, " My brethren, you, after hearing our 
experience, pronounced us Christians; and you say a 
Christian can never be lost; and our Savior pro- 
nounced a solemn woe on those that oifend one of his 
little ones; now do, therefore, give us the bread and 
wine !" 

One of the preachers gave me a sharp reproof, and 
told me to be silent. This treatment enlisted the 
sympathies of almost the entire assembly, and they 



72 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

cried out, ^' Shame ! shame !" Just as the preacher 
was about to dismiss the congregation, I rose, and 
asked of them the privilege of speaking to the people 
fifteen or twenty minutes, to explain myself. This 
they refused. I said, '' Very well ; I am in a free 
country, and know my rights." He then dismissed 
them, and I sprang on a bench, and said to the people 
that if they would meet me a few rods from the church, 
and hear me, I would make my defense. 

The people flocked out ; I mounted an old log, and 
the crowd gathered around me. I showed them the 
inconsistency of the Baptist preachers, and laid it to 
them as well as my inexperience would permit; and 
closed by saying that, as I and my children in the 
Gospel could not, in any consistent way, be admitted 
into the Baptist Church, I was now determined to 
organize a Methodist Church. I explained our rules, 
and invited all that were willing to join us to come 
forward, and give me their hands and names. Twenty- 
seven came forward; all of my twenty-three young 
converts, and four others ; and before the year ended, 
we took into the Church there seventy-seven mem- 
bers, but my Baptist friends blowed almost entirely 
out. I was greatly encouraged to go on, and do the 
best I could. 

This year, 1804, in the Western conference, there 
were 9,600 members; our increase was 2,400. The 
number of traveling preachers was thirty-six. Our 
annual conference this fall was held in October, at 
Mount Gerizim, in Kentucky. Our annual confer- 
ences in those days were universally held with closed 
doors, none but members of the conference, or visiting 
members from other annual conferences, being per- 
mitted to occupy seats in the body. At this confer- 
ence Bishogi^Asbury presided. 



PETER CART WEIGHT. 73 

At the close of ray labors on Waynesville circuit, 
I was recommended to the annual conference by the 
quarterly meeting as a proper person to be received 
into the traveling connection. There were eighteen 
preachers recommended and received at this confer- 
ence, and, perhaps, of this number, I am the only 
surviving one left. One by one, these early pioneers 
in the traveling ranks have fallen victims to death ; 
most of them, as far as I am informed, witnessed a 
good confession, and have gone to heaven to swell the 
triumphant shouts of the redeemed, and meet their 
spiritual children in a better country than the '' far 
west." There was one of this number that made 
shipwreck, and proved the truth of God's word, which 
says, "One sinner destroyeth much good;" and per- 
haps of all the men that then composed the Western 
conference when we joined, there are but two now 
living; namely, William Burke and Jacob Young. 
Since writing the above, William Burke has gone to 
his everlasting home. 



74 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER yil. 

PRIMITIVE METHODISM. 

At this conference, in October, 1804, I was sent as 
the junior preacher to Salt River and Shelbyville 
circuits, which were joined together, Benjamin La- 
kin in charge, and William M'Kendree presiding 
elder. 

The circuit was in the Kentucky district. It was 
a large six weeks' circuit, and extended from the 
rolling fork of Green river south, to the Ohio river 
north, and even crossed the Ohio into what was then 
called Clark's or the Illinois Grant, now in the east- 
ern portion of Indiana state. We had a little Book 
Concern, then in its infancy, struggling hard for ex- 
istence. We had no Missionary Society ; no Sunday 
School Society ; no Church papers ; no Bible or Tract 
Society; no colleges, seminaries, academies, or uni- 
versities ; all the efforts to get up colleges under the 
patronage of the Methodist Episcopal Church in these 
United States and territories, were signal failures. 
We had no pewed churches, no choirs, no organs ; in 
a word, we had no instrumental music in our churches 
any where. The Methodists in that early day dressed 
plain ; attended their meetings faithfully, especially 
preaching, prayer and class meetings ; they wore no 
jewelry, no ruffles ; they would frequently walk three 
or four miles to class meetings, and home again, on 
Sundays ; they would go thirty or forty miles to their 
quarterly meetings, and think it a glorious privilege 



PETER CART WEIGHT. 75 

to meet their presiding elder, and the rest of the 
preachers. They could, nearly every soul of them, 
sing our hymns and spiritual songs. They religiously 
kept the Sabbath day : many of them abstained from 
dram-drinking, not because the temperance reforma- 
tion was ever heard of in that day, but because it 
Avas interdicted in the General Rules of our Discipline. 
The Methodists of that day stood up and faced their 
preacher when they sung; they kneeled down in the 
public congregation as well as elsewhere, w^hen the 
preacher said, " Let us pray." There was no standing 
among tlie members in time of prayer; especially the 
abominable practice of sitting down during that ex- 
ercise was unknown among early Methodists. Par* 
ents did not allow their children to go to balls or 
plays; they did not send them to dancing-schools; 
they generally fasted once a week, and almost uni- 
versally on the Friday before each quarterly meeting. 
If the Methodists had dressed in the same " superfluity 
of naughtiness" then as they do now, there were very 
few even out of the Church that w^ould have any 
confidence in their religion. But 0, how have 
things changed for the worse in this educational age 
of the world! I do declare there was little or no 
necessity for preachers to say any thing against fash- 
ionable and superfluous dressing in those primitive 
times of early Methodism; the very wicked them- 
selves knew it was wrong, and spoke out against it in 
the members of the Church. The moment we saw 
members begin to trim in dress after the fashionable 
world, we all knew they would not hold out. Permit 
me here to give a few cases in confirmation of some 
things I have said. 

This year, in my circuit, there lived a very w^calthy, 
fashionable family. The good lady governess of this 



76 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

family attended a two days' meeting I held in the 
neighborhood. On Saturday, under preaching, the 
Lord reached her proud heart; and although, perhaps, 
she was the finest dressed lady in the congregation, 
when I invited mourners, she was the first that came 
and fell on her knees, praying aloud for mercy. It 
pleased God, before our meeting closed, to bless her 
with a sense of pardoning mercy, and she rose and 
shouted aloud for jtoy; she also joined the Church. 
When we closed the meeting, I gave out our 
love-feast for next morning at eight o'clock; not a 
word was said about dress. She went home, intend- 
ing to come to love-feast next morning, but it occur- 
red to her that all her superfluities ought to be laid 
aside now, and that she, as a Christian, for example's 
sake, ought to go in plain attire ; but, alas ! for her, 
she had not a plain dress in the world. Said she to 
herself, "What shall I do ? She immediately hunted 
up the plainest and most easily-altered dress she had. 
To work at it she went; trimmed it and fixed it tolera- 
bly plain. To love-feast she came ; and when she 
rose to speak, she told all about her trouble to get 
plainly attired to appear in love-feast as she thought 
she ought to. Take another case : 

I traveled in the state of Ohio in 1806, and at a 
largely-attended camp meeting near New Lancaster, 
there was a great work of God going on ; many were 
pleading for mercy; many were getting religion; 
and the wicked looked solemn and awful. The pul- 
pit in the woods was a large stand; it would hold a 
dozen people, and I would not let the lookers-on 
crowd into it, but kept it clear, that at any time I 
might occupy it for the purpose of giving directions 
to the congregation. 

There were two young ladies, sisters, lately from 



PETEE CART WRIGHT. 77 

Baltimore, or somewhere down east. They had been 
provided for on the ground in the tent of a very re- 
ligious sister of theirs. They were very fashionably 
dressed ; I think they must have had, in rings, ear- 
rings, bracelets, gold chains, lockets, etc., at least one 
or two hundred dollars' worth of jewelry about their 
persons. The altar was crowded to overflowing with 
mourners ; and these young ladies were very solemn. 
They met me at the stand, and asked permission to 
sit down inside it. I told them that if they would 
promise me to pray to God for religion, they might 
take a seat there. They were too deeply affected to 
be idle lookers-on ; and when I got them seated in the 
stand, I called them, and urged them to pray; and I 
called others to my aid. They became deeply en- 
gaged ; and about midnight they were both power- 
fully converted. They rose to their feet, and gave 
some very triumphant shouts; and then very delib- 
erately took off their gold chains, earrings, lockets, 
etc., and handed them to me saying, " We have no 
more use for these idols. If religion is the glorious, 
good thing you have represented it to be, it throws 
these idols into eternal shade." 

Take still another case in point. In 1810, when I 
was traveling in West Tennessee, at a camp meeting 
I was holding there was a great revival in progress. 
At that time it was customary for gentlemen of 
fashion to wear ruffled shirts. There was a wealthy 
gentleman thus attired at our meeting, and he was 
brought under strong conviction. I led him to the 
altar with the mourners ; and he was much engaged. 
But it seemed there was something he would not give 
up. I was praying by his side, and talking to him, 
when all on a sudden he stood erect- on his knees, and 
with his hands he deliberately opened his shirt bosom. 



78 AUTOBIOGRAPHYOF 

took hold of his ruffles, tore them off, and threw them 
down in the straw ; and in less than two minutes God 
blessed his soul, and he sprang to his feet, loudly 
praising God. 

I state these cases to show that unless the heart is 
desperately hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, 
there is a solemn conviction on all minds that fashion- 
able frivolities are all contrary to the humble spirit 
of our Savior; but idolatry is dreadfully deceptive, 
and we must remember that no idolater hath any 
inheritance in the kingdom of God. Let the Meth- 
odists take care. 

We had at this early day no course of study pre- 
scribed, as at present; but William M'Kendree, after- 
ward bishop, but then my presiding elder, directed 
me to a proper course of reading and study. He 
selected books for me, both literary and theological ; 
and every quarterly visit he made he examined into 
my progress, and corrected my errors, if I had fallen 
into any. He delighted to instruct me in English 
grammar. 

Brother Lakin had charge of the circuit. My busi- 
ness Avas to preach, meet the classes, visit the society 
and the sick, and then to my books and study ; and I 
say that I am more indebted to Bishop M'Ken- 
dree for my little attainments in literature and 
divinity, than to any other man on earth. And I 
believe that if presiding elders would do their duty 
by young men in this way, it would be more advan- 
tageous than all the colleges and Biblical institutes 
in the land ; for they then could learn and practice 
every day. 

Suppose, now, Mr. Wesley had been obliged to 
wait for a literary and theologically-trained band of 
preachers lefore he moved in the glorious work of his 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 79 

day, what would Methodism have been in the Wes* 
lejan connection to-day? Suppose the Methodist 
Episcopal Church in these United States had been 
under the necessity of waiting for men thus qualified, 
what would her condition have been at this time ? In 
despite of all John Wesley's prejudices, he providen- 
tially saw that to accomplish the glorious w^ork for 
which God had raised him up, he must yield to the 
superior wisdom of Jehovah, and send out his '^ lay 
preachers " to wake up a slumbering world. If Bishop 
Asbury had waited for this choice literary band of 
preachers, infidelity would have swept these United 
States from one end to the other. 

Methodism in Europe this day would have been as 
a thousand to one, if the Wesleyans had stood by the 
old landmarks of John Wesley ; but no ; they must 
introduce pews, literary institutions, and theological 
institutes, till a plain, old-fashioned preacher, such 
as one of Mr. Wesley's "lay preachers," would be 
scouted, and not allowed to occupy one of their pul- 
pits. Some of the best and most useful men that were 
ever called of God to plant Methodism in this happy 
republic, were among the early pioneer preachers, 
east, west, north, and south ; and especially in our 
mighty west. We have no such preachers now as 
some of the first ones who were sent out to Kentucky 
and Tennessee. 

The Presbyterians, and other Calvinistic branches 
of the Protestant Church, used to contend for an edu- 
cated ministry, for pews, for instrumental music, for 
a congregational or stated salaried minister. The 
Methodists universally opposed these ideas ; and the 
illiterate Methodist preachers actually set the world 
on fire — the American world, at least — while they 
were lighting their matches ! 



80 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Methodist preachers were called, by literary gentle- 
men, illiterate, ignorant babblers. I recollect once to 
have come across one of these Latin and Greek schol- 
ars, a regular graduate in theology. In order to bring 
me into contempt in a public company he addressed 
me in Greek. In my younger days I had learned 
considerable of German. I listened to him as if I 
understood it all, and then replied in Dutch. This he 
knew nothing about, neither did he understand He- 
brew. He concluded that I had answered him in 
Hebrew, and immediately caved in, and stated to the 
company that I was the first educated Methodist 
preacher he ever saw. 

I do not wish to undervalue education, but really I 
have seen so many of these educated preachers who 
forcibly reminded me of lettuce growing under the 
shade of a peach-tree, or like a gosling that had got 
the straddles by wading in the dew, that I turn away 
sick and faint. Now, this educated ministry and the- 
ological training are no longer an experiment. Other 
denominations have tried them, and they have proved 
a perfect failure ; and is it not strange that Methodist 
preachers will try to gather up these antiquated sys- 
tems, when enlightened Presbyterians and Congrega- 
tionalists have acknowledged that the Methodist plan 
is the best in the world, and try to improve, as they 
say, our system, alleging that our educational institu- 
tions have created a necessity for theological insti- 
tutes ? Verily, we have fallen on evil times. Is it 
possible that now, when we abound in education, that 
we need Biblical instruction more than when we had 
no education, or very little ? Surely if we ever needed 
Bible instruction, it was when we could derive no 
benefit from literary institutions. This is my com- 
mon-sense view of the subject. 



PETER CARTWEIGHT. 81 

I awfully fear for our beloved Methodism. Multi- 
ply colleges, universities, seminaries, and academies; 
multiply our agencies, and editorships, and fill them 
all with our best and most efficient preachers, and you 
localize the ministry and secularize them too; then 
farewell to itinerancy ; and when this fails we plunge 
right into Congregationalism, and stop precisely where 
all other denominations started. I greatly desire to 
see all the interests of the Methodist Church promoted, 
and when all our presidents, professors, editors, and 
agents shall be laymen, and our ministers follow 
their appropriate calling, namely, preach the Gospel 
to a dying world; and if they will not fall into the 
traveling ranks and be men of one work, let them 
locate, for it is certain as long as they fill these offices 
and agencies, it is like a man undertaking to ride a 
race with the reins of his horse's bridle tied to a stump. 
Every man who fills these offices and agencies, and 
retains a membership in the traveling connection, is a 
clog to the itinerant wheels, and must, erelong, stop 
the traveling car; and when that takes place farewell 
to Methodism. 

Is it not manifest that the employing so many of 
our preachers in these agencies and professorships is 
one of the great causes why we have such a scarcity 
of preachers to fill the regular work? Moreover, 
these presidents, professors, agents, and editors get a 
greater amount of pay, and get it more certainly, too, 
than a traveling preacher, who has to breast every 
storm, and often falls very far short of his disciplinary 
allowance. Here is a great temptation to those who 
are qualified to fill those high offices to seek them, and 
give up the regular work of preaching and trying to 
save souls. And is it not manifest to every candid 
observer that very few of those young men who be- 



82 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

lieve they were called of God to preach the Gospel, and 
are persuaded to go to a college or a Biblical institute, 
the better to qualify them for the great work of the min- 
istry, ever go into the regular traveling ministry? The 
reason is plainly this : having quieted their consciences 
with the flattering unction of obtaining a sanctified 
education, while they have neglected the duty of regu- 
larly preaching Jesus to dying sinners, their moral 
sensibilities are blunted, and they see an opening 
prospect of getting better pay as teachers in high 
schools or other institutions of learning, and from the 
prospect of gain they are easily persuaded that they 
can meet their moral obligations in disseminating 
sanctified learning. Thus, as sure as a leaden ball tends 
to the earth in obedience to the laws of gravity, just 
so sure our present modus operandi tends to a congre- 
gational ministry. And if this course is pursued a 
little longer, the Methodist Church will bid a long, 
long farewell to her beloved itinerancy, to which we, 
under God, owe almost every thing that is intrinsically 
valuable in Methodism. 

It is said that the young men who are studying 
in the Biblical Institute at Concord, which is patron- 
ized by all the New England conferences, spend their 
evenings, and especially their Sabbaths, in the sur- 
rounding villages, lecturing and preaching, to the 
great satisfaction and edification of the Churches, and 
their brethren give them something to aid in their 
support while they are prosecuting their studies. But 
who is so hoodwinked or cable-towed by prejudice as 
not to see that this very course is well calculated to 
sap the foundation of the itinerancy and supplant the 
regularly-appointed pastor, or supersede his labors, 
and will finally end in a settled ministry ? But I must 
resume the narrative. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 83 

Our conference this fall, 1805, was held at Cole's 
meeting-house, Scott county, Kentucky. Bishop 
Asbury, in consequence of affliction, failed to be with 
us, and the conference elected William M'Kendree 
president. Six more preachers were admitted on trial. 
The number of traveling preachers was thirty-eight. 
Our membership numbered 11,877 ; and our increase 
in members, was 2,277. 



84 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER VIII. 

SCIOTO CIRCUIT. 

My appointment, during 1805-6, was on the Scioto 
circuit, Ohio state and district. John Sale was pre- 
siding elder, and James Quinn was senior preacher, or 
preacher in charge. The reader will see how greatly I 
was favored the first two years of my regular itinerant 
life, to be placed under two such men as Benjamin 
Lakin and James Quinn, and more, two such presiding 
elders as William M'Kendree and John Sale. These 
four men were able ministers of Jesus Christ, lived 
long, did much good, witnessed a good confession, 
died happy, and are all now safely housed in heaven. 
Peace be to their memory forever ! 

Scioto circuit extended from the Ohio river to 
Chillicothe, situated on that river; and crossed it 
near the mouth, at what is now called Portsmouth. 
It was a four weeks' circuit, and there were four hun- 
dred and seventy-four members on it. Dr. Tifiin, 
who was Governor of the state, was a local preacher; 
and both he and his wife were worthy members of 
our Church. He lived at Chillicothe, then the seat 
of government for the state. 

There were two incidents happened while I was 
on the east end of this circuit, which I v>^ill relate. 

We had an appointment near Eagle creek. Here 
the Shakers broke in Mr. Dunlevy, whom we have 
mentioned elsewhere as having been a regular Pres- 
byterian minister, who had left that Church and joined 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 85 

the New Lights. His New Light increased so fast, 
that he lost what little sense he had, and was now a 
ranting Shaker. He came up here, and roared and 
fulminated awhile, led many astray, flourished for 
some time, and then his influence died away, and he 
left for parts unknown. 

On the south-eastern part of the circuit we took in 
a new preaching-place, at a Mr. Moor's. We gave 
them Sunday preaching. Mr. Moor had built a large 
hewn log-house, two stories high. There was no parti- 
tion in the second story; but it was seated, and'he gave 
it to us to preach in. Not far from this place lived a 
regularly-educated Presbyterian preacher, who had a 
fine family, and was in many respects a fine man, but, 
unhappily, he had contracted a love for strong drink. 
He had preached in this neighborhood, and was much 
beloved, for he was withal a very good preacher. 

In making my way on one occasion to Mr. Moor's, 
to my Sunday appointment, I got lost and was belated, 
and when I arrived, there was a large assembly collect- 
ed, and this minister was preaching to them, and he 
preached well, and I was quite pleased with the sermon 
so far as I heard it. When he was done, he undertook 
to make a public apology for a drunken spree he had 
got into a few days before. ^'Well," thought I, 'Hliis 
is right ; all right, I suppose !" But to excuse himself 
for his unaccountable love of whisky, he stated that 
he had been informed by his mother that before he 
was born she longed for whisky; and he supposed 
that this was the cause of his appetite for strong drink, 
for he had loved it from his earliest recollection. This 
was the substance of his apology. 

I felt somewhat indignant at this ; and when I rose 
to close after him, I stated to the congregation that I 
thought the preacher's apology for drunkenness was 



86 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

infinitely worse than the act of drunkenness itself; 
that I looked upon it as a lie, and a downright slander 
on his mother ; and that I believed his love of whisky 
was the result of the intemperate use of it, in which he 
had indulged till he formed the habit; and that I, 
for one, was not willing to accept or believe the truth 
of his apology ; that I feared the preacher would live 
and die a drunkard, and be damned at last ; and that 
I hoped the people there would not receive him as a 
preacher till he gave ample evidence that he was 
entirely cured of drunkenness. 

After I made these statements, I felt that God was 
willing to bless the people there and then ; and, rais- 
ing my voice, gave them as warm an exhortation as 
I could command. Suddenly an awful power fell on 
the congregation, and they instantly fell right and 
left, and cried aloud for mercy. I suppose there were 
not less than thirty persons smitten down ; the young, 
the old, and middle-aged indiscriminately, were op- 
erated on in this way. My voice at that day was 
strong and clear ; and I could sing, exhort, pray, and 
preach almost all the time, day and night. I went 
through the assembly, singing, exhorting, praying, 
and directing poor sinners to Christ. While I was 
thus engaged the Presbyterian minister left. 

There were a few scattered members of the Church 
around this place, who got happy and shouted aloud 
for joy, and joined in and exhorted sinners, and they 
helped me very much. Indeed, our meeting lasted 
all night, and the greater part of next day. Between 
twenty and thirty professed religion, and joined the 
Church ; and fully as many more went home under 
strong conviction and in deep distress. Many of them 
afterward obtained religion, and joined the Church. 

There was a very remarkable case that I will men- 



PETERCARTWRIGHT. 87 

tion here. There was one lady about forty-five years 
old, who was a member of the Presbyterian Church, 
and a very rigid predestinarian. Her husband was a 
Methodist, and several of their children had obtained 
religion among the young converts. This lady got 
powerfully convicted, and concluded that she never 
had any religion. She had fallen to the floor under 
the mighty power of God. She prayed and agonized 
hard for days. At length the devil tempted her to 
believe that she was a reprobate, and that there was 
no mercy for her. She went into black despair under 
this temptation of the devil, and such was the despe- 
rate state of her mind that at length she conceived 
that she was Jesus Christ, and took it upon her, in 
this assumed character, to bless and curse any and all 
that came to see her. 

The family were, of course, greatly afflicted, and 
the whole neighborhood were in great trouble at this 
afflictive dispensation. Her friends and all of us used 
every argument in our power, but all in vain. She 
at length utterly refused to eat, or drink, or sleep. 
In this condition she lingered for thirteen days and 
nights, and then died without ever returning to her 
right mind. A few persecutors and opposers of the 
Methodists tried to make a great fuss about this affair, 
but they were afraid to go far with it, for fear the 
Lord would send the same affliction on them. 

The Hockhocking river lay immediately north of 
us, the Scioto river between us. John Meek and 
James Axley were appointed to that circuit. The 
circuit reached from the Scioto to Zanesville, on the 
Muskingum river. It was a hard and laborious cir- 
cuit. Brother Meek's health failed, and brother Sale, 
our presiding elder, moved me from Scioto, and 
placed me on this circuit with brother Axley. I was 



88 AUTOBIOGEAPHYOP 

sorry to leave the brethren in Scioto circuit, and es- 
pecially brother Quinn, -whom I dearly loved ; but 
brother Sale was still my presiding elder, and brother 
Quinn's family lived in Hockhocking circuit, and a 
precious family it was. 

I got to see brother Quinn every round. Brother 
Axley and myself were like Jonathan and David. 
There were no parsonages in those days, and brother 
Quinn lived in a little cabin on his father-in-law's 
land. He had several children, and his cabin was 
small. When the preachers would come to see him, 
they would eat and converse with brother Quinn and 
family, but would sleep at old father Teel's, brother 
Quinn's father-in-law. The first time I came round I 
spent the afternoon with brother Quinn. He made 
some apologies, and told me I could sleep better at 
father Teel's. ^'But," said he, ''I will tell you how 
you must do. You will sleep at father Teel's, in one 
part of his double cabin ; he and his family will sleep 
in the other. His custom is to rise early. As soon 
as ever he dresses himself he commences giving out a 
hymn, sings, and then goes to prayer; he does not 
even wait for his family to get up. He serves the 
preachers the same way. He never was known to 
wait a minute for any preacher except Bishop Asbury. 
You must rise early, dress quickly, and go right into 
the other room if you want to be at morning prayer. 
I thought I would tell you beforehand, that you might 
not be taken by surprise." 

I thanked him. " But," said I, " why don't the 
preachers cure the old man of this disorderly way?" 

"0, he is old and set in his way," said brother 
Quinn. 

" You may rest assured I will cure him," said I. 

"0, no," said he, "you can not." 



PET EH CART WRIGHT. 89 

So I retired to old father Teel's to sleep. "We liad 
family prayer, and I retired to rest. I had no fear 
about the matter, for I Avas a constant early riser, and 
always thought it very wrong for preachers to sleep 
late and keep the families waiting on them. Just as 
day broke I awoke, rose up, and began to dress, 
but had not nigh accomplished it when I distinctly 
heard Teel give out his hymn and commence singing, 
and about the time I had got dressed I heard him 
commence praying. He gave thanks to God that 
they had been spared through the night, and were all 
permitted to see the light of a new day, and at the 
same time I suppose every one of his family was fast 
asleep. I deliberately opened the door and walked 
out to the well, washed myself, and then walked 
back to my cabin. Just as I got to the door, the old 
brother opened his door, and seeing me, said : 

^'Good morning, sir. Why, I did not know you 
were up." 

"Yes," said I; "I have been up some time." 

"Well, brother," said he, "why did you not come 
in to prayers?" 

"Because," said I, "it is WTong to pray of a morn- 
ing in the family before we wash." 

The old brother passed on, and no more was said at 
that time. That evening, just before we were about 
to retire to rest, the old brother set out the book 
and said to me : 

" Brother, hold prayers with us." 

"No, sir," said I. 

Said he : " Come, brother, take the book and pray 
with us." 

"No, sir," said I; "you love to pray so well you 
may do it yourself." 

He insisted, but I persistently refused, saying, 
8 



90 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

"You are so fond of praying yourself, that you 
even thanked God this morning that he had spared 
you all to see the light of a new day, Tvhen your 
family had not yet opened their eyes, but were all 
fast asleep. And you have such an absurd way of 
holding prayers in your family, that I do not wish to 
have any thing to do with it." 

He then took up the book, read and said prayers, 
but you may rely on it the next morning things were 
much changed. He waited for me, and had all his 
family up in order. He acknowledged his error, and 
told me it was one of the best reproofs he ever got. 
I then prayed with the family, and after that all 
went on well. 

Our last quarterly meeting was a camp meeting. 
We had a great many tents, and a large turn-out for 
a new country, and, perhaps, there never was a 
greater collection of rabble and rowdies. They came 
drunk, and armed with dirks, clubs, knives, and 
horsewhips, and swore they would break up the 
meeting. After interrupting us very much on Satur- 
day night, they collected early on Sunday morning, 
determined on a general riot. At eight o'clock I was 
appointed to preach. About the time I was half 
through my discourse, two very fine-dressed young 
men marched into the congregation with loaded 
whips, and hats on, and rose up and stood in the midst 
of the ladies, and began to laugh and talk. They were 
near the stand, and I requested them to desist and get 
off the seats; but they cursed me, and told me to 
mind my own business, and said they would not get 
down. I stopped trying to preach, and called for a 
magistrate. There were two at hand, but I saw they 
were both afraid. I ordered them to take these men 
into custody, but they said they could not do it. I 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 91 

told them, as I left the stand, to command me to take 
them, and I would do it at the risk of my life. I ad- 
vanced toward them. They ordered me to stand oiF, 
but I advanced. One of them made a pass at my head 
with his whip, but I closed in with him, and jerked 
him off the seat. A regular scuffle ensued. The 
congregation by this time were all in commotion. I 
heard the magistrates give general orders, commanding 
all friends of order to aid in suppressing the riot. In 
the scuffle I threw my prisoner down, and held him 
fast ; he tried his best to get loose ; I told him to be 
quiet, or I would pound his chest well. The mob rose, 
and rushed to the rescue of the two prisoners, for 
they had taken the other young man also. An old 
and drunken magistrate came up to me, and ordered 
me to let my prisoner go. I told him I should not. 
He swore if I did not he would knock me down. I 
told him to crack away. Then one of my friends, at 
my request, took told of my prisoner, and the drunken 
justice made a pass at me ; but I parried the stroke, 
and seized him by the collar and the hair of the head, 
and fetching him a sudden jerk forward, brought him 
to the ground, and jumped on him. I told him to be 
quiet, or I would pound him well. The mob then 
rushed to the scene; they knocked down seven 
magistrates, and several preachers and others. I gave 
up my drunken prisoner to another, and threw myself 
in front of the friends of order. Just at this moment 
the ringleader of the mob and I met ; he made three 
passes at me, intending to knock me down. The last 
time he struck at me, by the force of his own effort ho 
threw the side of his face toward me. It seemed at 
that moment I had not power to resist temptation, 
and I struck a sudden blow in the burr of the ear and 
dropped him to the earth. Just at that moment the 



92 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

friends of order rushed by hundreds on the mob, 
knocking them down in every direction. In a few 
minutes the place became too strait for the mob, and 
they wheeled and fled in every direction; but we 
secured about thirty prisoners, marched them off to a 
vacant tent, and put them under guard till Monday 
morning, when they were tried, and every man was 
fined to the utmost limits of the law. The aggregate 
amount of fines and costs was near three hundred 
dollars. They fined my old drunken magistrate 
twenty dollars, and returned him to court, and he was 
cashiered of his office. On Sunday, when we had 
vanquished the mob, the whole encampment was filled 
with mourning; and although there was no attempt 
to resume preaching till evening, yet such was our 
confused state, that there was not then a single 
preacher on the ground willing to preach, from the 
presiding elder, John Sale, down. Seeing we had 
fallen on evil times, my spirit was stirred within me. 
I said to the elder, " I feel a clear conscience, for 
under the necessity of the circumstances we have 
done right, and now I ask to let me preach." 

" Do," said the elder, " for there is no other man 
on the ground can do it." 

The encampment was lighted up, the trumpet 
blown ; I rose in the stand, and required every soul 
to leave the tents and come into the congregation. 
There was a general rush to the stand. I requested 
the brethren, if ever they prayed in all their lives, to 
pray now. My voice was strong and clear, and my 
preaching was more of an exhortation and encourage- 
ment than any thing else. My text was, '' The gates 
of hell shall not prevail." In about thirty minutesi 
the power of God fell on the congregation in such a 
manner as is seldom seen; the people fell in every 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 93 

direction, right and left, front and rear. It was sup- 
posed that not less than three hundred fell like dead 
men in mighty battle; and there was no need of 
calling mourners, for they were strewed all over the 
camp-ground; loud wailings went up to heaven from 
sinners for mercy, and a general shout from Christians, 
so that the noise was heard afar off. Our meeting 
lasted all night, and Monday and Monday night; and 
wdien we closed on Tuesday, there were two hundred 
who had professed religion, and about that number 
joined the Church. 

Brother Axley and myself pulled together like true 
yoke-fellows. We were both raised in the back- 
woods, and well understood frontier life. Brother 
Axley was truly a child of nature ; a great deal of 
sternness and firmness about him as well as oddity. 
He knew nothing about polished life. I will here 
relate a little circumstance that took place with him 
and myself at Governor Tifiin's, in Chillicothe. 

This year brother Axley, while I was on the Scio- 
to circuit, came over to see me, and he preached for 
me in Chillicothe. The Governor and his amiable 
wife were much delighted with brother Axley. The 
Governor's house was the preacher's home, and we 
went there. The Governor was easily excited, and 
he had not entire command of his risibilities. Sister 
Tifiin had great command of herself. She could 
control the muscles of her face, and look stern 
when she pleased. They had no children ; but they 
had a very nice little lap-dog. We were called from 
the parlor to supper, and among other eatables they 
had fried chicken, and tea and coffee. Sister Tiffin 
asked brother Axley if he would have some of the 
chicken. He said, yes, he was very fond of it. She 
helped him to some; it was a leg unjointed. Brother 



94 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Axley never offered to cut the flesli off of it, but took 
it in his fingers, and ate it in that way; and when he 
had got the flesh from the bone, he turned round and 
whistled for the little lap-dog, and threw the bone 
down on the carpet. I saw the Governor was excited 
to laughter, but suppressed it. I cast an eye at 
sister Tiffin; she frowned, and shook her head at me, 
as much as to say, " Do not laugh." This passed off 
tolerably well. 

It was the custom in those days to eat awhile be- 
fore the tea and coffee were dished out. Said sister Tif- 
fin to brother Axley, '* Will you have a cup of tea or 
coffee?" He asked her if she had any milk. She an- 
swered, " Yes." " Well, sister," said he, " give me some 
milk, for they have nearly scalded my stomach with 
tea and coffee, and I do n't like it." I really thought 
the Governor vfould burst out into loud laughter, but 
he suppressed it; and I thought I must leave the 
table to laugh ; but casting my eyes again at sister 
Tiffin, she frowned and shook her head at me, which 
helped me very much. 

When we went up to bed, said I, " Brother Axley, 
you surely are the most uncultivated creature I ever 
saw. Will you never learn any manners ?" 

Said he, ^'What have I done?" 

"Done !" said I; "you gnawed the meat off of your 
chicken, holding it in your fingers ; then whistled up 
the dog, and threw your bone down on the carpet; 
and more than this, you talked right at the Governor's 
table, and in the presence of sister Tiffin, about 
scalding your stomach with tea and coffee." He burst 
into tears, and said, " Why did you not tell me better ? 
I didn't know any better." 

Next morning, when we awoke, he looked up and 
saw the plastering of the room all round. " Well," said 



PETER CAIiTV/lliailT. 95 

he, " wlien I go home I will tell my people that I slept 
in the Governor's house, and it was a stone house too, 
and plastered at that." 

Having been raised almost in a cane-brake, and 
never been accustomed to see any thing but log-cab- 
ins, it was a great thing for him to behold a good 
house and sleep in a plastered room. But I tell you, 
my readers, he was a great and good minister of 
Jesus Christ. He often said a preacher that was good 
and true had a trinity of devils to fight; namely, su- 
perfluous dress, whisky, and slavery; and he seldom 
ever preached but he shared it to all three of these 
evils, like a man of God. 

Brother Axley entered the traveling connection in 
1804, traveled nineteen years, and in 1823 located. 
He w^as remarkably useful as a local preacher. He 
was industrious and economical, lived neat and com- 
fortable, but, by going security for a friend, he lost 
nearly all his property. The Church helped him 
some ; but he never recovered his former easy and 
comfortable circumstances, and died in comparative 
poverty. 



96 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER IX. 

ITINERANT LIFE. 

At the close of this conference year — 1806 — I met 
the Kentucky preachers at Lexington, and headed 
by William Burke, about twenty of us started for 
conference, which was held in East Tennessee, at 
Ebenezer Church, Nollichuckie, September 15th. Our 
membership had increased to twelve thousand, six 
hundred and seventy; our net increase was about 
eight hundred. 

This year another presiding-elder district was 
added to the Western conference, called the Missis- 
sippi district. The number of our traveling preach- 
ers increased from thirty-eight to forty-nine. Bishop 
Asbury attended the conference. There were thir- 
teen of us elected and ordained deacons. According 
to the printed Minutes, this was placed in 1807, but 
it was in the fall of 1806. Two years before there 
were eighteen of us admitted on trial; that number, 
in this short space of time, had fallen to thirteen ; the 
other five were discontmued at their own request, or 
from sickness, or were reduced to suffering circum- 
stances, and compelled to desist from traveling for 
want of the means of support. 

I think I received about forty dollars this year; 
but many of our preachers did not receive half that 
amount. These were hard times in those western 
wilds ; many, very many, pious and useful preachers 
"were literally starved into a location. I do not mean 



PETER CART WEIGHT. 97 

that they ^vere starved for want of food ; for although 
it was rough, yet the preachers generally got enough 
to eat. But they did not generally receive in a 
whole year money enough to get them a suit of 
clothes; and if people, and preachers too, had not 
dressed in homespun clothing, and the good sisters 
had not made and presented their preachers with 
clothing, they generally must retire from itinerant 
life, and go to work and clothe themselves. Money 
Avas very scarce in the country at this early day, but 
some of the best men God ever made breasted the 
storms, endured poverty, and triumphantly planted 
Methodism in this western world. 

When Ave Avere ordained deacons at this confer- 
ence. Bishop Asbury presented me with a parchment 
certifying my ordination in the following words, 
namely : 

" Know all by these presents. That I, Francis As- 
bury, Bishop of the Methodist JSjnscoj^al Church in 
America, under the protection of almighty God, and 
with a single eye to his glory, by the imposition of 
my hands and prayer, have this day set apart Peter 
Cartwright for the office of a Deacox in the said 
Methodist Episcopal Church ; a man whom I judge to 
be Avell qualified for that work; and do hereby rec- 
ommend him to all Avhom it may concern, as a proper 
person to administer the ordinance of baptism, mar- 
riage, and the burial of the dead, in the absence of an 
elder, and to feed the flock of Christ, so long as his 
spirit and practice are such as become the Gospel of 
Christ, and he continueth to hold fast the form of 
sound Avords, according to the established doctrine of 
the Gospel. 

"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my 
9 



98 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

hand and seal this sixteenth day of September, in the 
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and six. 

"Francis Asbury." 

I had traveled from Zanesville, in Ohio, to East 
Tennessee to conference, a distance of over five hun- 
dred miles; and when our appointments were read 
out, I was sent to Marietta circuit, almost right back, 
but still further east. Marietta was at the mouth of 
the Muskingum river, where it emptied into the 
Ohio. This circuit extended along the north bank of 
the Ohio, one hundred and fifty miles, crossed over the 
Ohio river at the mouth of the Little Kanawha, and 
up that stream to Hughes river, then east to Middle 
Island. I suppose it was three hundred miles round. 
I had to cross the Ohio river four times every round. 

It was a poor and hard circuit at that time. Marietta 
and the country round were settled at an early day by 
a colony of Yankees. At the time of my appoint- 
ment I had never seen a Yankee, and I had heard 
dismal stories about them. It was said they lived 
almost entirely on pumpkins, molasses, fat meat, and 
bohea tea; moreover, that they could not bear loud 
and zealous sermons, and they had brought on their 
learned preachers with them, and they read their 
sermons, and were always criticising us poor back- 
woods preachers. When my appointment was read 
out it distressed me greatly. I went to Bishop Asbury 
and begged him to supply my place, and let me go 
home. The old father took me in his arms, and said, 

"0 no, my son; go in the name of the Lord. It 
will make a man of you." 

Ah, thought I, if this is the way to make men, I do 
not want to be a man. I cried over it bitterly, and 
prayed too. But on I started, cheered by my presid- 



PETEE CART WRIGHT. 99 

ing elder, brother J. Sale. If ever I saw hard times, 
surely it was this year ; yet many of the people were 
kind, and treated me friendly. I had hard work to 
keep soul and body together. The first Methodist 
house I came to I found the brother a Universalist. I 
crossed over the Muskingum river to Marietta. The 
first Methodist family I stopped with there, the lady 
was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
but a thorough Universalist. She was a thin-faced, 
Roman-nosed, loquacious Yankee, glib on the tongue, 
and you may depend on it I had a hard race to keep 
up with her, though I found it a good school, for it 
set me to reading my Bible. And here permit me to 
say, of all the isms that I ever heard of, they were 
here. These descendants of the Puritans were gener- 
ally educated, but their ancestors were rigid pre- 
destinarians ; and as they were sometimes favored 
with a little light on their moral powers, and could 
just " see men as trees walking," they jumped into 
Deism, Universalism, Unitarianism, etc., etc. I verily 
believe it was the best school I ever entered. They 
waked me up on all sides ; Methodism was feeble, 
and I had to battle or run, and I resolved on the 
former. 

There was here in Marietta a preacher by the 
name of A. Sargent ; he had been a Universalist 
preacher, but finding such a motley gang, as I have 
above mentioned, he thought — and thought correctly 
too — that they were proper subjects for his imposture. 
Accordingly, he assumed the name of Halcyon Church, 
and proclaimed himself the millennial messenger. He 
professed to see visions, fall into trances, and to con- 
verse with angels. His followers were numerous in 
the town and country. The Presbyterian and Congre- 
gational ministers were afraid of him. He had men 



100 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

preachers and women preachers. The Methodists 
had no meeting-house in Marietta. We had to preach 
in the court-house when we could get a chance. We 
battled pretty severely. The Congregationalists 
opened their Academy for me to preach in. I pre- 
pared myself, and gave battle to the Halcyons. This 
made a mighty commotion. In the mean time we had 
a camp meeting in the suburbs of Marietta. Brother 
Sale, our presiding elder, was there. Mr. Sargent 
came, and hung around and wanted to preach, but 
brother Sale never noticed him. I have said before 
that he professed to go into trances and have visions. 
He would swoon away, fall, and lay a long time ; and 
when he would come to, he would tell what mighty 
things he had seen and heard. 

On Sunday night, at our camp meeting, Sargent 
got some powder, and lit a cigar, and then walked 
down to the bank of the river, one hundred yards, 
where stood a large stump. He put his powder on 
the stump, and touched it with his cigar. The flash 
of the powder was seen by many at the camp ; at 
least the light. When the powder flashed, down fell 
Sargent; there he lay a good while. In the mean 
time the people found him lying there, and gathered 
around him. At length he came to, and said he had 
a message from God to us Methodists. He said God 
had come down to him in a flash of light, and he fell 
under the power of God, and thus received his vision. 

Seeing so many gathered round him there, I took 
a light, and went down to see what was going on. As 
soon as I came near the stump, I smelled the sul- 
phur of the powder ; and stepping up to the stump, 
there was clearly the sign of powder, and hard 
by lay the cigar with which he had ignited it. He 
was now busy delivering his message. I stepped up 



PETER CART WEIGHT. 101 

to him, and asked him if an angel had appeared to 
him in that flash of light. 

He said, "Yes." 

Said I, '' Sargent, did not that angel smell of brim- 
stone ?" 

"Why," said he, "do you ask me such a foolish 
question ?" 

"Because," said I, "if an angel has spoken to you 
at all he was from the lake that burnetii with fire and 
brimstone!" and raising my voice, I said, "I smell 
sulphur now !" I walked up to the stump, and called 
on the people to come and see for themselves. The 
people rushed up, and soon saw through the trick, 
and began to abuse Sargent for a vile impostor. He 
soon left, and we were troubled no more with him or 
his brimstone angels. 

I will beg leave to remark here that while I was 
battling successfully against the Halcyons, I was treat- 
ed with great respect by the Congregational minister 
and his people, and the Academy was always open for 
me to preach in; but as soon as I triumphed over and 
vanquished them, one of the elders of the Congrega- 
tional Church waited on me and informed me that it 
was not convenient for me to preach any more in their 
Academy. I begged the privilege to make one more 
appointment in the Academy till I could get some 
other place to preach in. This favor, as it Avas only 
one more time, was granted. 

I then prepared myself, and when my appointed day 
rolled around, the house was crowded, and I leveled 
my whole Arminian artillery against their Calvinism, 
and challenged their minister, who was present, to 
public debate; but he thought prudence the better 
part of valor, and declined. This effort secured me 
many friends, and some persecution ; but my way was 



102 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

opened, and we raised a little class, and had a name 
among the living. 

I will here mention a special case of wild fanaticism 
that took place with one of these Halcyon preachers 
while I was on this circuit. He worked himself up 
into the belief that he could live so holy in this life, 
that his animal nature would become immortal, and 
that he would never die; and he conceived that he 
had gained this immortality, and could live without 
eating. In despite of all the arguments and per- 
suasions of his friends, he refused to eat or drink. 
He stood it sixteen days and nights, and then died a 
suicidal death. His death put a stop to this foolish 
delusion, and threw a damper over the whole Halcyon 
l^maticism. 

I will here state something like the circumstances 
I found myself in, at the close of my labors on this 
hard circuit. I had been from my father's house 
about three years ; was five hundred miles from home ; 
my horse had gone blind; my saddle was worn out; 
my bridle reins had been eaten up and replaced — 
after a sort — at least a dozen times ; and my clothes 
had been patched till it was difficult to detect the 
original. I had concluded to try to make my way 
home and get another outfit. I was in Marietta, and 
had just seventy-five cents in my pocket. How I 
woula get home and pay my way I could not tell. 

But it was of no use to parley about it; go I must, 
or do worse; so I concluded to go as far as I could, 
and then stop and work for more means, till I got 
home. I had some few friends on the way, but not 
many; so I cast ahead. 

My first day's travel was through my circuit. At 
about thirty-five miles' distance there lived a brother, 
with whom I intended to stay all night. I started. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 103 

and late in the evening, within five miles of my stop- 
ping-place, fell in with a widow lady, not a member 
of the Church, who lived several miles ofi* my road. 
She had attended my appointments in that settlement 
all the year. After the usual salutations, she asked 
me if I was leaving the circuit. 

I told her I was, and had started for my father's. 

" Well," said she, " how arc you off for money? I 
expect you have received but little on this ch-cuit." 

I told her I had but seventy-five cents in the world. 
She invited me home with her, and told me she would 
give me a little to help me on. But I told her I had 
my places fixed to stop every night till I got to Mays- 
ville ; and if I went home with her, it would derange 
all my stages, and throw me among strangers. She 
then handed me a dollar, saying it was all she had 
with her, but if I would go home with her, she would 
give me more. I declined going with her, thanked 
her for the dollar, bade her farewell, moved on, and 
reached my lodging-place. 

By the time I reached the Ohio river, opposite 
Maysville, my money was all gone. I was in trouble 
about how to get over the river, for I had nothing to 
pay my ferriage. 

I was acquainted with brother J. Armstrong, a mer- 
chant in Maysville, and concluded to tell the ferry- 
man that I had no money, but if he would ferry me 
over, I could borrow twenty-five cents from Arm- 
strong, and would pay him. Just as I got to the 
bank of the river, he landed, on my side, with a man 
and a horse ; and when the man reached the bank, I 
saw it was Colonel M. Shelby, brother to Governor 
Shelby, of Kentucky. He was a lively exhorter in 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and an old acquaint- 
ance and neighbor of my father's. 



104 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

When lie saw me, he exclaimed : 

"Peter, is that you?" 

" Yes, Moses," said I, '' what little is left of me." 

" Well," said he, " from your appearance you must 
have seen hard times. Are you trying to get home?" 

" Yes," I answered. 

" How are you ofi* for money, Peter?" said he. 

" Well, Moses," said I, " I have not a cent in the 
world." 

" Well," said he, '' here are three dollars, and I will 
give you a bill of the road and a letter of introduc- 
tion till you get down into the barrens, at the Pilot 
Knob." 

You may be sure my spirits greatly rejoiced. So 
I passed on very well for several days and nights on 
the Colonel's money and credit, but when I came to 
the first tavern beyond the Pilot Knob, my money 
was out. What to do I did not know, but I rode up 
and asked for quarters. I told the landlord I had no 
money; had been three years from home, and was 
trying to get back to my father's. I also told him I 
had a little old watch, and a few good books in my 
saddle-bags, and I would compensate him in some 
way. He bade me alight and be easy. 

On inquiry I found this family had lived here from 
an early day, totally destitute of the Gospel and all 
religious privileges. There were three rooms in this 
habitation, below — the dining-room and a back bed- 
room, and the kitchen. The kitchen was separated 
from the other lower rooms by a thin, plank partition, 
set up on end ; and the planks had shrunk and left 
considerable cracks between them. 

When we were about to retire to bed, I asked the 
landlord if he had any objection to our praying before 
we laid down. He said, '* None at all," and stepped 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 105 

into the kitchen, as I supposed, to bring in the family. 
He quickly returned with a. candle in his hand, and 
said, " Follow me." I followed into the back bed- 
room. Whereupon he set down the candle, and bade 
me good-night, saying, " There, you can pray as much 
as you please." 

I stood, and felt foolish. He had completely ousted 
me ; but it immediately occurred to me that I would 
kneel down and pray with a full and open voice; so 
down I knelt, and commenced praying audibly. I 
soon found, from the commotion created in the 
kitchen, that they were taken by surprise as much as 
I had been. I distinctly heard the landlady say, 
" He is crazy, and will kill us all this night. Go, 
husband, and see what is the matter." But he was 
slow to approach; and when I ceased praying he 
came in, and asked me what was the cause of my act- 
ing in this strange way. I replied, " Sir, did you not 
give me the privilege to pray as much as I pleased?" 
"Yes," said he, "but I did not expect you would 
pray out." I told him I wanted the family to hear 
prayer, and as he had deprived me of that privilege, 
I knew of no better way to accomplish my object 
than to do as I had done, and I hoped he would not 
be offended. 

I found he thought me deranged, but we fell into a 
free conversation on the subject of religion, and, I 
think, I fully satisfied him that I was not beside my- 
self, but spoke forth the words of truth with soberness. 

Next morning I rose early, intending to go fifteen 
miles to an acquaintance for breakfast, but as I was 
getting my horse out of the stable the landlord came 
out, and insisted that I should not leave till after break- 
fast. I yielded, but he would not have any thing for 
my fare, and urged me to call on him if ever I 



106 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

traveled that way again. I will just say here, that in 
less than six months I cajled on this landlord, and he 
and his lady were happily converted, dating their con- 
viction from the extraordinary circumstances of the 
memorable night I spent with them. 

I found other friends on my journey till I reached 
Hopkinsville, Christian county, within thirty miles 
of my father's, and I had just six and a quarter cents 
left. This was a new and dreadfully- wicked place. I 
put up at a tavern kept by an old Mr. M'. The 
landlord knew my father. I told him I had not 
money to pay my bill, but as soon as I got home I 
would send it to him. He said, " Very well," and 
made me welcome. His lady was a sister of the 
apostate Dr. Allen, whom I have elsewhere mentioned. 

Shortly after I laid down I fell asleep. Suddenly 
I was aroused by a piercing scream, or screams, of a 
female. I supposed that somebody was actually com- 
mitting murder. I sprung from my bed, and, after 
getting half dressed, ran into the room from whence 
issued the piercing screams, and called out, ^'What's 
the matter here?" The old gentleman replied, that 
his wife was subject to spasms, and often had them. 
I commenced a conversation with her about religion. 
I found that she was under deep concern about her 
soul. I asked if I might pray for her. " 0, yes," 
she replied, ^' for there is no one in this place that 
cares for my soul." 

I knelt and prayed, and then commenced singing, 
and directed her to Christ as an all-sufficient Savior, 
and prayed again. She suddenly sprung out of the 
bed and shouted, " Glory to God ! he has blessed my 
soul." It was a happy time indeed. The old gentle- 
man wept like a child. We sung and shouted, prayed 
and praised, nearly all night. Next morning the 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 107 

old landlord told me my bill was paid tenfold, and 
that all he charged me was, every time I passed that 
way, to call and stay with them. 

Next day I reached home with the six and a quar- 
ter cents unexpended. Thus I have given you a very 
imperfect little sketch of the early travel of a Meth- 
odist preacher in the Western conference. My par- 
ents received me joyfully. I tarried with them sev- 
eral weeks. My father gave me a fresh horse, a bri- 
dle and saddle, some new clothes, and forty dollars in 
cash. Thus equipped, I was ready for another three 
years' absence. 

Our conference, this year, was held in Chillicothe, 
September 14, 1807. Our increase of members was 
one thousand, one hundred and eighty; increase of 
traveling preachers, six. From the conference in 
Chillicothe I received my appointment for 1807-8, 
on Barren circuit, in Cumberland district, James 
Ward presiding elder, who employed Lewis Ander- 
son to travel with me. This brother is now a mem- 
ber of the Illinois conference. It was a four weeks' 
circuit. We had several revivals of religion in differ- 
ent places. The circuit reached from Barren creek, 
north of Green river, to the head of Long creek, in 
Tennessee state. I received about forty dollars quar- 
terage. We had an appointment near Glasgow, the 
county seat of Barren county. A very singular cir- 
cumstance took place in this circuit this year; some- 
thing like the following : 

There were two very large Baptist Churches east 
of Glasgow. These Churches had each very talented 
and popular preachers for their pastors, by the name 
of W. and H. The Baptists were numerous and 
wealthy, and the great majority of the citizens were 
under Baptist influence. The Methodists had a 



108 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

small class of about thirteen members. There lived 
in the settlement a gentleman by the name of L., 
who was raised under the Baptist influence, though 
not a member of the Church. His lady was a mem- 
ber of one of these large Baptist Churches. Mr. L. 
was lingering in the last stages of consumption, 
but without religion. These Baptist ministers visited 
him often, and advised, and prayed with, and for 
him. Learning that I was in the neighborhood, he 
sent for me; I went; he seemed fast approaching his 
end, wasted away to a mere skeleton ; he had to be 
lifted, like a child, in and out of the bed. I found 
him penitent, and prayed with him, sat up with him, 
and in the best way I knew I pointed him to Jesus. 
It pleased God to own the little effort, and speak 
peace to his troubled soul ; he was very happy after 
this. He told me the next morning that he wished 
to be baptized, join the Church, and receive the sac- 
rament. In the mean time the Baptist ministers 
came to see him, and as I knew he was raised under 
Baptist denominational influences, I was at a loss to 
know how to act. I took the two Baptist ministers 
out, and said to them : " This afilicted brother has 
obtained religion, and he desires to be baptized, join 
the Church, and receive the sacrament. And," said I, 
"brethren, you must now take the case into your own 
hands, and do with it as you think best. He was 
raised a Baptist, and, as a matter of course, he believes 
in immersion. And," said I, "my opinion is, if he is 
immersed, he can not survive it ; and as joii are 
strong in the faith of immersion, you must administer 
it." 

"No, no," said they; "he is your convert, and you 
must do all he desires. We believe, as well as you, 
that he can not be immersed." 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 109 

"Now," said I, "brethren, he wants not only to be 
baptized, but wants to join the Church, the Baptist 
Church of course ; and if I baptize him by sprinkling 
or pouring, you will not receive him into the Baptist 
Church; or, in other words, if I do, will you receive 
him into your Church?" 

"Well, no," said they ; "we can not do it." 

"Now," said I, "brethren, this is a very solemn af- 
fair. You will not baptize him and take him into your 
Church; and if I baptize him, still you will not re- 
ceive him. There must be something wrong about 
this very solemn matter." 

They then said they would have nothing to do with 
it ; that I must manage it my own way. I then went 
and consulted the wife of the sick man. I told her 
what her ministers had said. "Now," said I, "sis- 
ter, what must I do ?" 

Said she, " Ga and ask my husband, and do as he 
wishes, and I will be satisfied." 

I went, and said, "Brother L., if I baptize you, it 
must be by sprinkling or pouring; you can not be 
immersed." 

Said he, "I know I can't, and I am willing to be 
baptized in any mode; it is not essential." 

As soon as preparation was made, I baptized 
him by sprinkling, and then proceeded to conse- 
crate the elements and administer the sacrament. 
I turned and invited both of the Baptist ministers to 
come and commune with the dying saint, but they 
refused. Then I turned to his wife, and invited her 
to come and commemorate the dying sorrows of her 
Savior with her dying husband. She paused for a 
moment, and then, bursting into a flood of tears, said, 
"I will;" and came forward, and I administered to 
them both. 



110 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

After ttiis I said, "Brother L., do you wish to 
have your name enrolled with the members of the 
little class of Methodists that worship in the neigh- 
borhood?" 

He said, " 0, yes ;" and then added, " before you 
get round your circuit I shall be no more on earth, 
and I wish you to preach my funeral." 

After consultation with his wife, I left an appoint- 
ment for his funeral. In a few days he breathed his 
last, and went ofi' triumphant. 

When I came to the appointment there was a vast 
crowd. We had a very solemn time. I stated all 
the circumstances above narrated, and at the close 
I opened the door of the Church, and Mrs. L. and 
six others of her relatives, all members of the Baptist 
Church, came forward and joined the Methodists. 
This circumstance gave us a standing that enabled 
us to lift our heads and breathe more freely after- 
ward. 

In the course of this year we carried Methodist 
preaching into a Baptist congregation on Bacon 
creek. A great many of their members gave up 
Calvinism, close communion, and immersion, and 
joined the Methodist Church; and we took possession 
of their meeting-house, and raised a large society 
there, that flourishes to this day. Out of this re- 
vival several preachers were raised up that trained 
and blessed the Methodist Episcopal Church for years 
afterward. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. Ill 



CHAPTER X. 

MEETING IN A WAGON. 

Owing to the newness of the country, the scarcity of 
money, the fewness of our. numbers, and their poverty, 
it was a very difficult matter for preachers to obtain 
a support, especially married men with families. 
From this consideration many of our preachers 
delayed marriage, or, shortly after marriage, located. 
Indeed, such was our poverty, that the Discipline was 
a perfectly dead letter on the subject of house rent, 
table expenses, and a dividend to children ; and al- 
though I had acted as one of the stewards of the con- 
ference for years, these rules of the Discipline were 
never acted upon, or any allowance made, till 1813, 
when Bishop Asbury, knowing our poverty and suf- 
ferings in the west, had begged from door to door in 
the older conferences, and came on and distributed 
ten dollars to each child of a traveling preacher un- 
der fourteen years of age. 

After mature deliberation and prayer, toward the 
close of my labors on the Barren circuit, I thought it 
w^as my duty to marry, and was joined in marriage to 
Frances Gaines, on the 18th of August, 1808, which 
was her nineteenth birthday ; and we had our infare 
at my father's, on the 1st of September following, 
which was my twenty-third birthday. 

The conference, this fall, was held at Liberty Hill, 
Tennessee, on the 1st of October, 1808. Our increase 
in members this year was about one thousand, three 



112 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

hundred and fifty; our increase of traveling preach- 
ers was ten. We had three new presiding-elder dis- 
tricts formed this year, namely, Indiana, Miami, and 
Muskingum, making seven presiding-elder districts 
in the Western conference. 

At this conference I was elected and ordained an 
elder by Bishop M'Kendree. The parchment reads 
as follows, namely: 

" Know all men by these presents, that I, William 
M'Kendree, one of the Bishops of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church in America, under the protection of 
almighty God, and with a single eye to his glory, 
by the imposition of my hands and prayer — being 
assisted by the elders present — have this day set apart 
Peter Cartwright for the office of an elder in the said 
Methodist Episcopal Church ; a man whom I judge to 
be well qualified for that work ; and I do hereby rec- 
ommend him, to all whom it may concern, as a 
proper person to administer the sacraments and or- 
dinances, and to feed the flock of Christ, so long as 
his spirit and practice are such as become the 
Gospel of Christ. 

■'In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my 
hand and seal, this fourth day of October, in the year 
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight. 

"William M'Kendree. 

" Liberty Hill, Tennessee." 

My appointment, this year, was to Salt River cir- 
cuit, Kentucky district, James Ward presiding elder. 
This was a part of the circuit I had traveled in the 
years 1804 and 1805. 

In the course of this year my father died, and left 
me to settle his little estate, which, owing to the forms 
of law, took me several months, which was the longest 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 113 

time I have ever had from the regular work of a 
traveling preacher in fifty years ; but upon a proper 
presentation of the case to my presiding elder, he 
gave me liberty to go and attend to this business. 
Giving me this liberty by the presiding elder was then 
according to Discipline. 

At the close of the conference year 1808-9, I at- 
tended conference at Cincinnati, and there reported 
myself ready for regular work, and my appointment 
was to Livingston circuit. Our increase of member- 
ship was four thousand and fifty-one ; our increase of 
traveling preachers was twenty-one. 

Livingston circuit was in the Cumberland district. 
Learner Blackman presiding elder. This was my first 
field of labor as an exhorter; which circuit I had 
formed in the days of my boyhood, and had then re- 
turned to J. Page, presiding elder, seventy members. 
They had increased now to four hundred and twenty- 
seven ; a good increase for six years. 

We had not a very prosperous year, but we had 
some gracious outpourings of the Spirit of God. I 
held a camp meeting this year, which lasted four days 
and nights, without any ministerial aid, save one little 
exhorter and an old drunken Baptist preacher, who 
preached for me once, on Sunday. He then and there 
confessed his dissipation, and wept bitterly, and made 
us all cry. We had about thirty converts at this 
meeting. At the close of the meeting we had many 
seekers who had not obtained comfort. Twelve of 
them got into a two-horse wagon, and myself with 
them. We had to go about fifteen miles, but before 
we reached our home every one of them got power- 
fully converted, and we sung and shouted aloud along 
the road, to the very great astonishment of those who 
lived along the way. That night the whole neighbor- 

10 



114 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

liood gathered in, and we had a glorious time. Sev- 
eral more were powerfully converted, and many 
deeply convicted. The work broke out around the 
settlement, and scores were brought to a saving 
knowledge of the truth. 

I will here relate an incident that took place 
this year, concerning one of our Methodist preach- 
ers; his name was J. D. He was raised a very 
bigoted Dunker, or, as they are sometimes denomi- 
nated, Seventh-Day Baptists. When the Methodist 
preachers came into his settlement he violently op- 
posed them, asserting the Dunkers were right and 
every body else wrong. After a while, however, he 
either really or pretendedly got under deep convic- 
tion and professed religion. (Tiiis v/as when the Meth- 
odists had borne down all opposition and become 
popular.) He joined the Methodists, and they soon 
licensed him to preach. Now he had found the right 
way, and all the rest were wrong. He had consider- 
able talent, but was a very lazy man. However, the 
Methodists got him on a circuit awhile, and he was 
popular, but did not get money enough to support 
him ; so he located, and went into land speculations, 
and got under par as a good man. This year he 
moved into the bounds of my circuit, and we renewed 
our former acquaintance, preached together often, 
and really we were in a fair way of doing much 
good. We broke into a very large Freewill-Baptist 
settlement, where the preacher was a very weak 
brother. We rose high in public opinion, and the 
Baptists offered us a good salary if we would join 
them and become their pastor. This was a little too 
much for my brother D. He came to me one day 
and said, "Brother Cartwright, you and I have 
young and growing families : if we would join these 



PETEK CAET WRIGHT. 115 

Baptists they would give us a handsome support, and 
as they have no preacher in all this country of any 
talents, we could sway a mighty influence, getting 
hundreds into our Church, and secure a good living 
for our families in all time to come. Do n't you 
think," said he, "it would be best to do it?" I re- 
plied: ''Brother D., 'get thee behind me, Satan, 
for thou art an offense to me.' If money, sir, or a 
good living had been my prime object in joining a 
Church, I should never have joined the Methodists; 
but when I joined them I joined them from a firm con- 
viction, believing them to be the best people in the 
world; and the longer I live with them, and the more 
I understand of their doctrine and system of Church 
government, the more firmly I am settled in mind to 
abide my choice; and this world has not treasure 
enough to allure me from the Methodist Church." 

Poor human nature! The temptation was too 
strong. Brother D. yielded, joined the Freewill- 
Baptists, and was soon installed their pastor. Well, 
now, he proclaimed, he had certainly found the 
right way, and all the world was wrong. Well, it 
was not long before he was caught in a criminal act, 
ruined his moral character, and was dismissed from 
his pastoral charge. I will here say that this said 
J. D. was formerly my armor-bearer in the great 
contest I had with the Shakers at Busroe, in In- 
diana, mentioned elsewhere in this narrative. What 
next? Why, J. D. went and joined the Shak- 
ers ; and now from heaven God had revealed it to 
him that he was right and every body else wrong. 
The Shakers, hearing of his instability of character, 
had very little confidence in him. They put him to 
hard labor to try him. This he could not stand; and 
presently left them, took up with a scattered band of 



116 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF 

New Lights, moved to Texas, and I expect the devil 
has got him in safe-keeping long before this time. 

Our increase for 1809-10 was 1,950. Increase of 
traveling preachers, fifteen. 

At this conference I was returned to Livingston 
circuit, Cumberland district; Learner Blackman pre- 
siding elder. At the close of this year, 1810-11, 
we met at New Chapel, Shelby county, Kentucky, 
November 1, 1810. Our increase of members, this 
conference year, 4,264; increase of traveling preach- 
ers, thirteen. 

The Western conference met the last time as the 
Western conference, at Cincinnati, October 1, 1811, 
and our increase this year was 3,600. Our increase 
in preachers was ten. Our strength of membership 
in the entire Western conference at its last session 
as a Western conference, was 30,741. In 1787 we 
had but ninety members that were officially reported 
from the west; and if, as we have elsewhere stated, 
that at the General conference of 1st May, 1800, in 
Baltimore, the Western conference was regularly 
organized, with about two thousand members, the 
reader will plainly see what God wrought in eleven 
years by the pioneer fathers that planted Methodism 
in this vast western wilderness; and of the little 
band of traveling preachers that then plowed the 
wilderness, say twelve men, none are now living 
save Mr. Henry Smith. In the fall of 1803, when 
I joined the conference, there were a little over 
9,000 members in the Western conference; in 1811, 
30,741. There were then a little over forty traveling 
preachers, and in 1810 over one hundred; and 
yet, at this time, there are not more than six of us 
left lingering on the shores of time to look back, 
look around, and look forward to the future of the 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 117 

Methodist Episcopal Church, for weal or for woe. 
Lord, save the Church from desiring to have pews, 
choirs, organs, or instrumental music, and a congre- 
gational ministry, like other heathen Churches around 
them ! 

In 1804 the membership of the whole Church was 
119,9-i5, traveling preachers 433, throughout the 
United States, territories, and Canada. Their increase 
this year, throughout the Union, was 6,811. In 1812, 
when the Western conference was divided into Ohio 
and Tennessee conferences, our entire membership 
had increased to 184,567; increase of members in 
eight years, near 65,000. Traveling ministers in 
1804,433; in 1812, 688. 

In 1811 we elected our delegates to the first dele- 
gated General conference ever held by the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. This General conference 
was held in New York, 1st May, 1812. At this 
General confei'ence, the Western conference, which 
had existed some twelve years, was divided into two 
annual conferences, called Ohio and Tennessee. The 
Ohio conference was composed of the following pre- 
siding-elder districts, namely : Ohio district, Muskin- 
gum district, Scioto district, Miami district, Ken- 
tucky district, and Salt River district : six. Tennessee 
conference was composed of the follovy^ing districts, 
namely: Holston district, Nashville district, Cumber- 
land district, Wabash district, Mississippi district, 
and Louisiana district: six. It will be seen that the 
state of Kentucky was divided between the two con- 
ferences. There were members in Ohio conference, 
23,284; in Tennessee conference, 22,700. There 
were in Ohio conference, trayeling preachers, sixty- 
four; in Tennessee, sixty-two. These statistics are 
for 1812. 



118 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

I was appointed to Christian circuit, Wabash dis- 
trict ; James Axley presiding elder. This was a four 
weeks' circuit, most of it parts and fragments of other 
circuits. I formed it into a four weeks' circuit. We 
had some splendid revivals this year, and took in 
some three hundred members. We had two or three 
very successful camp meetings ; at one of them I bap- 
tized one hundred and twenty-seven adult persons and 
forty-seven children, all by sprinkling, save seven 
adults, whom I immersed. One of them was the 
daughter of a very celebrated Baptist minister. 

In the north end of my circuit there was a district 
of densely-populated country, about thirty-five miles 
across. A Methodist preiicher had seldom, even if 
ever, preached in this district of country. About 
midway of it there lived a Baptist minister, with a 
large society and a large meeting-house. He, at an 
early day, had settled among them, and prejudiced 
nearly all the country against the Methodist preachers 
and people. 

I had to make a day's ride through this settlement 
every round, and thought it singular that no Method- 
ist preacher, as I could learn, had ever made a break 
in it; and I determined to make one in this region 
somehow or somewhere. While riding through, I 
stopped at many houses, and asked for the privilege 
to preach among them. They looked shy, and denied 
me. I prayed God to open my way; and at length, 
through an acquaintance I had made, left an appoint- 
ment to preach at the Baptist meeting-house on my 
next round. 

The Baptist minister publicly warned the people 
not to hear me; but somehow the novelty of the 
thing excited their curiosity, and though a week- 
day, a large congregation turned out, and among the 



PETEK C All TA\^ RIGHT. 119 

rest, their preacher. He told me he should not hinder 
me that time from preaching in his meeting-house; 
^' but," said he, " you must leave no more appoint- 
ments at my church, or if you do, you will find the 
doors barred against you." Well, I had to submit. 
I went in, and preached as well as I could, and the 
congregation were considerably affected, even to 
weeping. I called on the Baptist minister to con- 
clude, but he refused ; so after closing the services, 
I told the congregation that I could preach to them 
every round, but that their minister had forbidden 
me the use of his meeting-house any more; but if 
there w^as any man present that would open his 
private house for me to preach in, I would leave an 
appointment. A gentleman rose up, and tendered 
me the use of his house, and invited me home with 
him for dinner; so I left an appointment, and went 
with this man and partook of his hospitalities. 

When I came round to my appointment, the house 
was filled to overflowing, though large. While I was 
preaching, near the close of the discourse, suddenly 
the power of God fell on the congregation like a flash 
of lightning, and the people fell right and left; some 
screamed aloud for mercy, others fell on their knees 
and prayed out aloud; several Baptist members fell 
to the floor under the power of God. There was a 
Baptist preacher present. After I had talked, and 
exhorted, and sung a long time, I called on this 
preacher to pray, but he was so astounded that, he 
told me, he could not pray. Our meeting lasted 
nearly all night. About twelve persons were con- 
verted in the good old way, and shouted aloud the 
praises of God. I opened the doors of the Church, 
and thirteen came forward and joined. From this 
time the work broke out and many professed religion, 



120 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OT 

and we succeeded in planting Methodism on a firm 
footing here. The Baptist minister who was pastor of 
the congregation that worshiped at the meeting-house 
where I preached, had a dreadful rude set of children, 
especially a daughter whom they called Betsy. She 
would stand on the seats, point and laugh, and when 
any would fall under the power of God, she would 
say it was nothing but a Methodist fit. 

At a camp meeting this summer, held on the land 
of R. Dellam, Esq., now of St. Louis, a fine man, old 
Valentine Cook, of precious memory, attended with 
me, and labored like a true minister of Christ. There 
was a large crowd of people, and mostly raised under 
old Baptist influence and prejudice, and as ignorant 
of Methodism and the power of religion as the beasts 
that perish. There were several preachers to aid 
brother Cook and myself, but all our preaching 
seemed powerless. The meeting dragged heavily 
till Sunday. Brother Cook and myself walked out to 
pray ; when we rose from our knees, brother Cook 
said to me : 

"Brother, have you any faith?" 

"A little," I replied. 

"I have some," said he. 

We were both to preach in succession, commencing 
at eleven o'clock. He was to preach first, and I to 
follow. Said he to me : 

"If I strike fire, I will immediately call for 
mourners, and you must go into the assembly 
and exhort in every direction, and I will manage 
the altar. But," said he, "if I fail to strike fire, 
you must preach; and if you strike fire, call the 
mourners and manage the altar. I will go through 
the congregation, and exhort with all the power God 
gives me." 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 121 

We repaired to the stand. He preached ; it seemed 
as if every word took effect. There was no outbreak ; 
the vast crowd were melted into silent tears. When 
he closed, he bade me rise and preach. I did so. 
Just as I was closing up my sermon, and pressing it 
with all the force I could command, the power of 
God suddenly was displayed, and sinners fell by 
scores through all the assembly. We had no need of 
a mourners' bench. It was supposed that several 
hundred fell in five minutes; sinners turned pale; 
some ran into the woods; some tried to get away and 
fell in the attempt; some shouted aloud for joy; 
among the rest my Baptist preacher's daughter, 
whom we have called Betsy. As I went through 
the assembly, I came across Betsy, who had fallen to 
the earth, and was praying at a mighty rate. When 
I came to her, she said to me : 

" 0, do pray for me ; I am afraid I am lost and 
damned forever !" 

I said to her, " Betsy, get up ; you have only got a 
Methodist fit," using her former language ; but she 
roared the louder two or three times. I bid her get 
up, saying to her, '^ You are playing the hypocrite, 
and have only got a Methodist fit; get up, Betsy." 
But I assure you she was past getting up. Just hard 
by I saw her father, the Baptist preacher. He was 
crying, and shaking every joint in him. I went to 
him, and said, " Brother A., come and pray for 
Betsy." He replied : 

" Lord have mercy on me ! I can not pray." 

"Amen," said I. "Pray on, brother A.; the Lord 
will have mercy." I then exhorted Betsy, and 
prayed for her. If ever I saw the great deep of a 
sinner's heart broken up, hers was. She wrestled 
and prayed all night. Next morning, about sunrise, 

11 



122 AUTOBIOGRAPHY Of 

the Lord in a powerful manner converted her. She 
rose and went over the camp-ground like a top. She 
at length met her father, the preacher, and of all the 
exhortations that I ever heard fall from the lips of a 
mortal, hers was the most powerful to her father. 
She said to him : 

"You, father, have taught me from my childhood 
to hate and despise the Methodists, till my soul was 
well-nigh lost and ruined forever." 

She then assured him that he had no religion at 
all, and begged him to repent and get his soul con- 
verted. She made him kneel down, and she engaged 
for him in mighty prayer. 

About eleven o'clock on Monday I opened the 
doors of the Church, and forty-two joined, and among 
the rest, Betsy. From this meeting a revival spread 
almost through the entire country round, and great 
additions were made to the Methodist Church. The 
circuit was large, embracing parts of Logan, Muhl- 
enburg, Butler, Christian, and Caldwell counties, in 
Kentucky, and parts of Montgomery, Dixon, and 
Stewart counties, in Tennessee. 

On the west part of Red river there was a Pres- 
byterian minister settled, who had a large brick 
church. He had settled at an early day, and the few 
scattered Methodists who lived in the bounds of his 
congregation, having no Methodist preaching, had 
joined his Church rather than live out of Church al- 
together. I was invited to preach about five miles 
from this minister's church. I sent an appointment. 
At the time a large congregation turned out; the 
people were deeply affected. When I closed, I 
stated to the assembly that I could preach to them 
every four weeks, if they desired it. They told me 
they did, and I accordingly left another appoint- 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 123, 

ment. When I came the house was crowded, and the 
Presbyterian minister came. I preached, and there 
was a general weeping all through the congregation. 
The minister concluded for me, and I left another ap- 
pointment. The minister staid and dined with me. 
After dinner he asked me to walk out with him. I 
did so. When we had seated ourselves, he told me 
he wanted to talk to me about my preaching in that 
neighborhood. He said that this neighborhood was 
in the bounds of his congregation ; that I was heartily 
welcome to preach ; but, said he, you must not 
attempt to raise any society. I told him that was 
not our way of doing business ; that we seldom ever 
preached long at any place without trying to raise a 
society. He said I must not do it. I told him the 
people were a free people and lived in a free country, 
and must and ought to be allowed to do as they 
pleased; that I should never condescend to try to 
proselyte ; but if I continued to preach there, and if 
any of the people desired to join the Methodist 
Church, I should surely give them the privilege to do 
so; and that I understood there were ten or twelve 
members of the Methodist Church had joined his 
Church as Methodists, with the fair understanding 
that if the Methodists ever organized a society con- 
venient to them, they were to have the privilege of 
joining their own Church without any hard thoughts 
or censures. He said that was true ; but if we raised 
a society it would diminish his membership, and 
cut off his support. " Well," said I, " my dear sir, 
if the people want me to preach to them I shall do 
it, and if they desire to join our Church I shall 
take them in ; and I intend, when I come next time, 
to organize a class, for several have desired me to do 
so." Said he, "I will be here, and will openly op* 



124 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

pose you." Said I, " If you think that the best way, 
do so." While I was absent for three Sabbaths suc- 
cessively, he opened his batteries on me, told them 
what I had said, and warned them not to attend my 
meeting. This roused the whole country, and made 
me many fast friends ; even his own members remon- 
strated against his course, saying to him, nobody 
was obliged to join the Methodists, and if they pre-- 
ferred the Methodist Church to his, it was their right 
to join it. 

When I came round we had a vast crowd out, but 
the minister did not appear. At the close of my ser 
mon I read our General Rules, and explained our econ- 
omy. I then told them that my father had fought 
in the Revolution to gain our freedom and liberty of 
conscience ; that I felt that my Presbyterian brother 
had no bill of sale of the people ; that I was no rob- 
ber of Churches; but if I had any members in my 
Church that liked the Presbyterians better than the 
Methodists, I wanted them to go and join them ; but 
if there were any there that day that believed the 
Methodist doctrine, and were v/illing to conform to the 
Discipline of the Methodist Church, and desired to 
join us, let them come and give me their hand, and 1 
would form them into a class and appoint them a 
leader. There were twenty-seven came forward; 
thirteen of them were members of this minister's 
Church. I publicly ascertained this fact, and then 
told the thirteen that I did not want to give any 
offense, and that I wanted them all to go to their 
next meeting, and ask a letter, stating their reasons, 
and I would receive them into full membership at 
once. One of them, a fine, intelligent man, and an 
elder, said that he knew they would not give them 
letters. I remarked, " Go and ask for them ; and if 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 125 

tliey refuse, come back, and I will receive you any 
liow." They went, but the Church would not give 
them letters, although there was nothing against their 
moral characters. After that I received them into 
the Methodist Church. Public opinion was in my 
favor, and many more of this preacher's members 
came and joined us, and the minister sold out and 
moved to Missouri, and before the year was out I 
had peaceable possession of his brick church. 



126 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER XI. 

SLAVERY IN THE CHURCH. 

In the fall of 1812 our Tennessee conference was 
held at Fountain Head, state of Tennessee, on the 
first of November. At this first session of the Ten- 
nessee conference the Illinois district was organized, 
and J. Walker appointed presiding elder. The Illi- 
nois circuit, as a mission, was formed in 1804, and 
Benjamin Young appointed to it. It was attached to 
the Cumberland district, L. Garrett presiding elder. 
Brother Young returned sixty-seven members. 

At this conference I was appointed by Bishop 
Asbury to the Wabash district, which was then com- 
posed of the following circuits; namely, Vincennes, 
in the state of Indiana; and Little Wabash and Fort 
Massack, in Illinois. These three circuits were north 
of the Ohio river ; the balance of the district was in 
Kentucky; namely, Livingston, Christian, Henderson, 
Hartford, and Breckenridge circuits. In traveling 
the district I had to cross the Ohio river sixteen 
times during the year. 

I told Bishop Asbury that I deliberately believed 
that I ought not to be appointed presiding elder, for 
I was not qualified for the office ; but he told me there 
was no appeal from his judgment. At the end of six 
months I wrote to him, begging a release from the 
post he had assigned me ; but when he returned an 
answer, he said I must abide his judgment, and stand 
in my lot to the end of the time. I continued accord- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 127 

ingly in the service, but the most of the year was 
gloomy to me, feeling that I had not the first qualifi- 
cation for the office of a presiding elder. Perhaps I 
never spent a more gloomy and sad year than this in 
all my itinerant life ; and from that day to this I can 
safely say the presiding elder's office has had no spe- 
cial charms for me; and I will remark, that I have 
often wondered at the aspirations of many, very many 
Methodist preachers for the office of presiding elder; 
and have frequently said, if I were a bishop, that such 
aspirants should always go without office under my 
administration. I look upon this disposition as the 
outcropping of fallen and unsanctified human nature, 
and whenever this spirit, in a large degree, gets into 
a preacher, he seldom ever does much good after- 
ward. 

We had through the summer and fall of this con- 
ference year some splendid camp meetings, many con- 
versions, and many accessions to the Church. In the 
fall we met at conference, October 1, 1813, at Rees's 
Chapel, Tennessee. The name of Wabash district was 
changed to Green River district, and Vincennes, 
Little Wabash, and Fort Massack circuits, north of 
the Ohio river, were stricken off and attached to the 
Illinois district, and Dixon and Dover circuits, south 
of the Cumberland river, that had belonged to Nash- 
ville district, were attached to Green River district. 
I was appointed by Bishop Asbury presiding elder of 
this district, some time in the course of the summer 
of this conference year, 1813. We had a camp 
meeting in the Breckenridge circuit, and a glorious 
good work of religion was manifest throughout the 
meeting. It was at this meeting that Benjamin 
Ogden, one of the early preachers sent to the west, 
who became disaffected, and left the Methodist Epis- 



128 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

copal Church under the secession of J. O'Kelly, and 
backslid, professed to be reclaimed, and returned to 
his mother Church. 

Slavery had long been agitated in the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and our preachers, although they 
did not feel it to be their duty to meddle with it 
politically, yet, as Christians and Christian ministers, 
be it spoken to their eternal credit, they believed it 
to be their duty to bear their testimony against slavery 
as a moral evil, and this is the reason why the Gen- 
eral conference, from time to time, passed rules and 
regulations to govern preachers and members of the 
Church in regard to this great evil. The great object 
of the General conference was to keep the ministry 
clear of it, and there can be no doubt that the course 
pursued by early Methodist preachers was the cause 
of the emancipation of thousands of this degraded race 
of human beings ; and it is clear to my mind, if Method- 
ist preachers had kept clear of slavery themselves, 
and gone on bearing honest testimony against it, that 
thousands upon thousands more would have been 
emancipated who are now groaning under an oppres- 
sion almost too intolerable to be borne. Slavery is 
certainly a domestic, political, and moral evil. Go 
into a slave community, and you not only see the 
dreadful evils growing out of the system in the almost 
universal licentiousness which prevails among the 
slaves themselves, but their young masters are often 
tempted and seduced from the paths of virtue, from 
the associations in w^hich they are placed; and there 
is an undercurrent of heart-imbittering feeling of 
many ladies of high and noble virtue, growing out of 
the want of fidelity of their husbands, and the profli- 
gate course of their sons. Let any one travel through 
slave states and see the thousands of mixed blood, and 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 129 

then say if I have misrepresented the dreadful causes 
of domestic disquietude that often falls with mountain 
weight on honorable wives and mothers. And although, 
in the infancy of this republic, it seemed almost im- 
possible to form a strong and democratic confederacy, 
and maintain their independence without compromis- 
ing constitutionally this political evil, and thereby 
fixing a stain on this " land of the free and home of 
the brave," yet it was looked upon as a great national 
or political evil, and by none more so than General 
Washington, the father of the republic. I will not 
attempt to enumerate the moral evils that have been 
produced by slavery; their name is legion. And now, 
notwithstanding these are my honest views of slavery, 
I have never seen a rabid abolition or free-soil so- 
ciety that I could join, because they resort to unjus- 
tifiable agitation, and the means they employ are 
generally unchristian. They condemn and confound 
the innocent with the guilty; the means they employ 
are not truthful, at all times; and I am perfectly sat- 
isfied that if force is resorted to, this glorious Union 
will be dissolved, a civil war will follow, death and 
carnage will ensue, and the only free nation on the 
earth will be destroyed. Let moral suasion be used 
to the last degree for the sake of the salvation of the 
slaveholders, and the salvation of the slaves. Let us 
not take .a course that will cut ofi" the Gospel from 
them, and deliver them over to the uncovenanted mer- 
cies of God, or the anathemas of the devil. I have 
had glorious revivals of religion among the slaves, and 
have seen thousands of them soundly converted to 
God, and have stood by the bedside of the dying slave, 
and have heard the swelling shout of Christian victory 
from the dying negro, as he entered the cold waters 
of the river of Jordan. 



130 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

At our Breckenridge circuit camp meeting tlie fol- 
lowing incident occurred. There were a brother S. 
and family, who were the owners of a good many 
slaves. It was a fine family, and sister S. was a very 
intelligent lady, and an exemplary Christian. She 
had long sought the blessing of perfect love, but she 
said the idea of holding her fellow-beings in bond- 
age stood out in her way. Many at this meeting 
sought and obtained the blessing of sanctification ; 
sister S. said her whole soul was in an agony for 
that blessing, and it seemed to her at times that she 
could almost lay hold, and claim the promise, but she 
said her slaves would seem to step right in between 
her and her Savior, and prevent its reception ; but 
while on her knees, and struggling as in an agony for 
a clean heart, she then and there covenanted with the 
Lord, if he would give her the blessing, she would give 
up her slaves and set them free. She said this cove- 
nant had hardly been made one moment, when God 
filled her soul with such an overwhelming sense of 
Divine love, that she did not really know whether she 
was in or out of the body. She rose from her knees, 
and proclaimed to listening hundreds that she had ob- 
tained the blessing, and also the terms on which she 
had obtained it. She went through the vast crowd 
with holy shouts of joy, and exhorting all to taste and 
see that the Lord was gracious, and such a power at- 
tended her words that hundreds fell to the ground, 
and scores of souls were happily born into the king- 
dom of God that afternoon and during the night. 
Shortly after this they set their slaves free, and the 
end of that family was peace. 

There was another circumstance happened at this 
camp meeting that I will substantially relate. It was 
one of our rules of the camp meeting that the men 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 131 

were to occupy the seats on one side of the stand, 
and the ladies on the other side, at all hours of public 
worship. But there was a young man, finely dressed, 
with his bosom full of ruffles, that would take his seat 
among the ladies; and if there was any excitement 
in the congregation, he would rise to his feet, and 
stand on the seats prepared for the occupancy of the 
ladies. I reproved him several times ; but he would 
still persist in his disorderly course. At length I re- 
proved him personally and sharply, and said, "I mean 
that young man there, standing on the seats of the 
ladies, with a ruffled shirt on." And added, "I doubt 
not that ruffled shirt was borrowed." 

This brought him off the seats in a mighty rage. 
He swore he would whip me for insulting him. After 
a while I was walking round on the outskirts of the 
congregation ; and he had a large company gathered 
round him, and was swearing at a mighty rate, and 
saying he would certainly whip me before he left the 
ground. 

I walked up, and said, " Gentlemen, let me in here 
to this fellow." 

They opened the way. I walked up to him, and 
asked him if it was me he was cursing, and going 
to whip. 

He said it was. 

^'Well," said I, "we will not disturb the congre- 
gation fighting here ; but let us go out into the woods, 
for if I am to be whipped, I want it over, for I do 
not like to live in dread." 

So we started for the woods, the crowd pressing 
after us. I stopped and requested every one of them 
to go back, and not a man to follow ; and assured 
them if they did not go back, that I would not go 
another step; they then turned back. The camp- 



132 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ground was fenced in. When we came to the fence 
I put my left hand on the top rail and leaped over. 
As I lighted on the other side one of my feet struck a 
grub, and I had well-nigh sprained my ankle; it 
gave me a severe jar ; and a pain struck me in the 
left side from the force of the jar, and involuntarily 
I put my right hand on my left side, where the pain 
had struck me. My redoubtable antagonist had got 
on the fence, and looking down at me, said, 

"D — n you, you are feeling for a dirk, are you?" 

As quick as thought, it occurred to me how to get 
clear of a whipping. 

"Yes," said I; "and I will give you the benefit of 
all the dirks I have ;" and advanced rapidly toward 
him. 

He sprang back on the other side of the fence 
from me. I jumped over after him, and a regular 
foot race followed. I was so diverted at my cowardly 
bully's rapid retreat that I could not run fast; so he 
escaped, and I missed my whipping. 

There was a large pond not very far from the camp- 
ground, and what few rowdies were there, concluded 
they would take my bully and duck him in that pond 
as a punishment for his bad conduct ; so they decoy- 
ed him off there, and they got a long pole, and 
stripped some hickory bark, and securing him on 
the pole, two of them, one at each end, waded in 
and ducked him nearly to death; he begged and 
prayed them to spare his life; he promised them that 
he would never misbehave at meeting again, and 
that he would immediately leave the ground if they 
would let him go. On these conditions they released 
him, and I got clear of my ruffle-shirted dandy. 

It may be asked what I would have done if this 
fellow had gone with me to the woods. This is hard 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 13B 

to answer, for it was a part of my creed to love every- 
body, but to fear no one ; and I did not permit myself 
to believe any man could whip me till it was tried ; 
and I did not permit myself to premeditate expe- 
dients in such cases. I should no doubt have pro- 
posed to him to have prayer first, and then followed 
the openings of Providence. 

This year there was a considerable decrease in 
membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
owing chiefly to the war with England; and we felt 
the sad effects of war throughout the west, perhaps as 
sensibly as in any part of the Union. A braver set 
of men never lived than was found in this western 
world, and many of them volunteered and helped to 
achieve another glorious victory over the legions of 
England, and her savage allied thousands. Of course 
there were many of our members went into the war, 
and deemed it their duty to defend our common coun- 
try under General Jackson. 

In the fall of 1813, October 1st, our conference 
was held at Rees's Chapel, Tennessee, and for 1813-14 
our appointments remained pretty much as they were 
before. I was returned to the Green River district ; 
this year the Missouri district was formed, and ad- 
mitted as part of the Tennessee conference. In the 
course of this year, or about this time, there were 
new fields of labor entered by our preachers along 
the Cumberland river, near the line between Ten- 
nessee and Kentucky. We preached in new settle- 
ments, and the Lord poured out his Spirit, and we 
had many convictions and many conversions. It 
was the order of the day, though I am sorry to say it, 
that we were constantly followed by a certain set of 
proselyting Baptist preachers. These new and wicked 
settlements were seldom visited by these Baptist 



134 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

preachers till the Methodist preachers entered them ; 
then, \Yhen a revival was gotten up, or the work 
of God revived, these Baptist preachers came rush- 
ing in, and they generally sung their sermons ; and 
when they struck the long roll, or their sing-song 
mode of preaching, in substance it was "water!" 
"water!" "you mus.t follow your blessed Lord down 
into the water!" I had preached several times in a 
large, populous, and wicked settlement, and there 
were serious attention, deep convictions, and a good 
many conversions; but, between my occasional ap- 
pointments, these preachers would rush in, and try to 
take our converts off into the water; and, indeed, 
they made so much ado about baptism by immersion, 
that the uninformed would suppose that heaven was 
an island, and there was no way to get there but by 
diving or szvimming. 

Among the Baptist preachers that rushed in on us 
in this new settlement, there came along a lank, long- 
legged, and extremely-illiterate and ignorant old 
preacher by the name of H s, and he was as im- 
pudent as a wolf. He sent an appointment, and he 
was to blow the Methodists sky-high. I had never 
seen him, nor had he ever seen me. I heard of his 
appointment, and concluded that I would go ; and if 
he really killed all the Methodists, if I could muster 
force enough, I would bury them out of the way. 
The time came on, and this mighty Goliah appeared, 
with two armor-bearers. I staid out till he com- 
menced the battle, then I moved into the congrega- 
tion, and took my seat, with pen, ink, and paper, 
thinking if I was to be killed, and he did not dispatch 
me too suddenly, I would at least try to write my 
will. He commenced the battle by warning the peo- 
ple to take care of these Methodist preachers that 



PETEE CARTWRIGHT. 135 

wore black broadcloth coats, silk jackets, and fair- 
topped boots, and a watch in their pockets ; that 
rode fine fat horses, etc. He then said he would tell 
them how these Methodist preachers got the money 
to buy all these fine clothes and horses. He said, 
that in order to join the Methodist Church, the 
preachers received twenty-five cents for every one 
that they took into the Church, and twenty-five cents 
for every baby they sprinkled, and that these babies 
were considered members of the Church, and thus 
that every member, adult or infant, had to pay a 
dollar a head annually ; and that these moneys con- 
stituted a large fund, and the Methodist preachers 
could well afford to dress fine and ride fat horses. 

But, said he, here is poor old H s — alluding to 

himself — if he can get a wool hat and a wallet of 
dumplings he is content, and thinks himself well off. 
Now, said he, my dear brethren, these Methodist 
preachers often remind me, in the doctrine they 
preach, of the manner of certain men that catch 
monkeys in certain countries. The monkeys are very 
fond of black haws ; the monkey-catchers go and scat- 
ter these black haws around the roots of the trees in 
which the monkeys are, and then they retire; the 
monkeys come down and devour the haws. The 
next time these monkey-catchers come they bring 
sheep-safi'ron, that very much resembles black haws. 
They scatter the sheep-safiron around the roots of the 
trees and retire, and the poor, simple monkeys eat up 
the saffron, and it makes them so sick they can not 
climb, but lie down, and then these men rush out 
and catch them. So it is, said he, my brethren, with 
these Methodist preachers. They preach some truth, 
which takes with the people; then they come with 
their sheep-safiron, or rotten doctrine, and the poor, 



136 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

simple people, like the foolish monkeys, swallow down 
these false doctrines, and it makes them sick, and 
then these Methodist preachers catch them. He then 
compared Methodist preachers to a boy climbing a 
pole, etc* You may be sure this was a deadly shot. 

As soon as he was done, to keep up appearances, 
he said, if there was any one present that wanted to 
reply to him, let him come forward. I arose, and 
marched up, and took the stand, and in a very little 
time nailed all his lies to the counter ; and by re- 
spectable gentlemen out of any Church proved his 
statements to be false, and poured round upon round 
on him so hot and so fast, that he started for the 
door. I ordered him to stop, and told him, if he did 
not, I would shoot him in the back for a tory; he 
got out at the door. He was taken so at surprise, 
and charged on so suddenly, that he forgot his hat, 
and he peeped round the door-chink at me. I blazed 
away at him till he dodged back, and started off, 
bareheaded, for home, talking to himself by the way. 
As he retreated in this situation he was met by a gen- 
tleman, who hailed him, and said, " Mr. H s, 

what is the matter? where is your hat?" "0 Lord!" 
he exclaimed, "that Methodist bull-dog, Cartwright, 
came to my meeting, and opened a fire on me that 
no mortal man could stand, and I left." " Come," said 
the gentleman, "go back and get your hat." "No," 
said he, " I will not go back, if I never see another 
hat on earth." This encounter blowed this proselyt- 
ing, sheep-stealing preacher to never, where another 
Baptist preacher that I once heard of would have 
gone to, if he had jumped off. 

Now I must explain this allusion a little. At an early 
day I heard a Baptist preacher preach, and toward the 
close he alluded to his own experience. When in a 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 137 

state of conviction, he said he was in great distress ; 
he sought relief on the right and left, but found none, 
and at length he said he thought he would start off and 
travel to the ends of the yearth, and when he got there 
that he would jump off; and now stopping suddenly, 
he asked his congregation, "Where do you think I 
would have gone to ?" and answering for them, said he, 
"I should have gone to NEVER." 

While I am giving a few strictures on the unworthy 
conduct of a few of the preachers of this denomina- 
tion, I will state another incident that occurred about 
this time. I settled on a little new place, near the 
road leading from Hopkinsville, Christian county, to 
Russellville, Logan county, Kentucky, and was desti- 
tute of stabling. Presently there rode up an old 
gentleman and a youth he called his son. 

He asked me if Peter Cartwright, a Methodist 
preacher, lived there. 

I answered he did. 

He asked, "Are you the man?" 

I answered, "Yes." 

"Well," said he, "I am a Baptist preacher, have 
been to Missouri after this my sick son, and I have 
called to stay all night with you." I told him to do 
so, and alight and come in. I disposed of their horses 
as best I could, supper was prepared, and they partook 
of our fare. After supper they both stepped into the 
other room, and when they returned I smelled whisky 
very strongly ; and although these were not the days 
of general temperance as now going on, yet I thought 
it a bad sign for a preacher to smell very strong of 
whisky, but said nothing. When we were about to 
retire to bed, I set out the books and said, "Brother, 
it is our custom to have family prayer; take the 
books and lead in family prayer." He began to make 

12 



138 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

excuses and declined. I urged him strongly, but lie 
refused, so I took the books, read, sung, and prayed ; 
but he would not sing with me, neither did he, nor his 
son, kneel when we prayed. Next morning the family 
was called together for family prayer ; again I invited 
him to pray with us, but he would not. As soon as 
prayer was over he went into the other room, and 
brought out his bottle of whisky; he asked me to 
take a dram. I told him I did not drink spirits. He 
offered it to all my family, but they all refused. After 
breakfast he and his son harnessed up their horses to 
start on their way home. 

^'Perhaps, brother," said he, ''you charge?" 

"Yes," said I, "all whisky-drinking preachers, that 
will not pray with me, I charge." 

"Well," said he, "it looks a little hard that one 
preacher should charge another." 

"Sir," said I, "you have given me no evidence 
that you are a preacher, and I fear you are a vile im- 
postor; and when any man about me drinks whisky, 
and will not pray with me, preacher or no preacher, 
I take a pleasure in charging him full price ; so haul 
out your cash." He did so, but very reluctantly. 

I am glad these unworthy examples of these preach- 
ers do not apply to the Baptist ministry generally, 
but many of them are friends of temperance, and 
scorn the contemptible business of proselyting mem- 
bers from other Churches. So may they continue, and 
give up their exclusive baptism by immersion ! 



PETER CARTAV RIGHT. 139 



CHAPTER XII. 

CAMP MEETING INCIDENTS. 

On the 29th September, 1 814, our Tennessee confer- 
ence commenced its session at Kenerley's Chapel, nine 
miles north of Russellville, Logan county, Kentucky. 
Bishops Asbury and M'Kendree were both present. 
These two venerable bishops of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church were both single men, and lived and 
died without ever marrying. There is no doubt but the 
scanty means of a support, and the vast field of their 
pastoral labor, induced them to remain unmarried, and 
devote their whole time to the building up the Church. 
Their field of ministerial labor was from east to west, 
from north to south, all over these United States 
and territories, and the British provinces in Canada. 
The Union itself was in its infancy. When these men 
bestowed the most of their ministerial labor, we had 
just thrown off the yoke of the British Government, 
just ended a bloody war; great scarcity of money 
prevailed; the Methodist Churches were few, feeble, 
and poor; a single man in that early day was only 
allowed sixty-four, eighty, and never more than one 
hundred dollars, and the bishops no more than any 
other single traveling preacher, and always dependent 
on the voluntary contributions of the people for this 
small pittance. Many of our married preachers had 
been starved into a location, and many more, during 
their illustrious sacrificing lives, were actually com- 
pelled to desist from traveling for want of means of 



140 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

support for their families. From the poverty of the 
Church, and the vastness of the field of their itinerant 
life, Mr. Asburj, and Bishop M'Kendree too, advised 
the traveling preachers to remain single ; but a few 
years proved to these devoted bishops themselves 
that Methodist preachers were but men, subject to 
like passions with other men. The various courtships 
and marriage contracts, to be consummated at some 
future and distant day, satisfied these devoted men 
of God that it was better for even Methodist preachers 
to marry than to remain single, after they had formed 
a ministerial character; and although I had traveled 
ten years, had a wife and two children, and had acted 
as steward of the conference for several years, yet 
up to this time, as I have elsewhere stated in this 
narrative, no allowance had been made for me, or 
any other traveling married preacher, for house rent 
and table expenses, or for our children. 

At this conference Bishop Asbury came with ten 
dollars for every traveling preacher's child or children 
born in the traveling connection. This money he had 
begged from door to door down east, in the older and 
wealthier conferences, for the suffering children of 
the married traveling itinerants in the west. This, 
indeed, was a fatted calf to many of us, who had re- 
ceived hardly enough to keep soul and body together. 
At this conference the stewards were instructed to 
settle all the claims of the preachers and their fami- 
lies, as the Discipline provides. 

By an examination of the Minutes it will be seen 
that the Ohio conference still had its six presiding- 
elder districts, and Tennessee eight districts — for 
1814-15. For several years, about this time, our 
increase of members was small, owing to the war and 
rumors of war. The traveling preachers in the Ohio 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 141 

conference had increased to sixty-three, and in the 
Tennessee conference to sixty-six. 

At a camp meeting held this year, in the edge 
of Tennessee, for the Christian circuit, there were a 
great many people attended, and among them a gang 
of rowdies. The ringleaders of the rowdies went by 
the names of J. P. and William P., two brothers ; their 
parents were fine members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. I found it would be hard to keep order, and 
I went to J. P.J and told him I wanted him to help me 
keep order. Said I, " These rowdies are all afraid 
of you ; and if you will help me you shall be captain, 
and choose your own men." 

He said he did not want to engage in that way; 
but if I would not bind him up too close, but let him 
have a little fun, away off, he would then promise me 
that we should have good order in the encampment 
through the meeting. 

I said, " Very well ; keep good order in the con- 
gregation, and if you have any little fun, let it be 
away off, where it will not disturb the worship of 
God." 

There came into the congregation a young, awk- 
ward fellow, that would trespass on our rules by seat- 
ing himself all the time among the ladies. It was 
very fashionable at that time for the gentlemen to 
roach their hair; and this young man had a mighty 
bushy reached head of hair. I took him out several 
times from among the women, but he would soon be 
back again. 

I told J. P. I wished he would attend to this young 
man. "Very well," said he; and immediately sent 
off and got a pair of scissors, and planted his company 
about a half mile off; then sent for this young fellow, 
under the pretense of giving him something to drink. 



142 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

When they got him out there, two of them, one on 
each side, stepped up to him with drawn dirks, and 
told him they did not mean to hurt him if he would 
be quiet; but if he resisted or hallooed, he was a 
dead man. They said they only wanted to roach his 
hair, and put him in the newest J^ashville fashion. 
The fellow was scared almost to death, but made no 
resistance whatever. Then one with the scissors com- 
menced cutting his hair, and it was haggled all over 
at a masterl^T- rate. When they were done shearing 
him, they let him go; and he came straight to the 
camp-ground. Just as he entered it I met him ; he 
was pale as a cloth. He took off his hat and said, 
*' See here, Mr. Cartwright, what them rowdies have 
done !' ' I had very hard work to keep down my risibil- 
ities ; but I told him he had better say nothing about 
it, for if he did they might serve him worse. He soon 
disappeared, and interrupted us no more during the 
meeting. 

Our camp-ground was right on the bank of a creek. 
Just behind the preachers' camp there was about 
room enough to place two or three carriages; then 
the bank of the creek, which was about ten feet high. 
Not far from the shore was a deep hole of water, 
about six feet deep. William P., the brother of my 
captain of order, was very rude, and I reproved 
him sharply. I understood that he swore he would 
run my carriage — which I had placed behind the 
preachers' tent, right on the bank — into the creek. 
There was but one way to pass to my carriage. At 
night I lay watching with a good stick in my hand; 
and presently I saw William take hold of my carriage 
and begin to turn it, in order to run it down the bank 
into the creek. I slipped out, and rushed upon him 
with my cudgel. I was in the only pathway; and 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 143 

he, fearing a good knock-down, leaped over the bank 
right into the deep hole of water, and came out on 
the other side, and ran off. 

It made him very angry that he was defeated. He 
swore that he would have satisfaction out of me before 
the meeting was over. In the mean time, the power 
of God fell on the people gloriously ; many hardened 
sinners were arrested, and a great many w^ere con- 
verted; and on S.unday the mighty power of God 
was felt to the utmost verge of the congregation. On 
Sunday night our altar was crowded with weeping 
penitents. While I was in the altar, laboring with 
the mourners, I saw William come up and lean on 
the pale, on the outside of the altar. I kept my eye 
on him; and suddenly he leaped over into the altar, 
and fell at full length, and roared like a bull in a net, 
and cried aloud for mercy. While I was talking to 
and praying for him and others, I trod on something 
near where he had been standing that felt soft. I 
stooped down and looked, and lo and behold, what 
should it be but a string of frogs, strung on a piece of 
hickory bark ! I took them up, and carried them into 
the tent, not knowing what it meant. 

Just about daybreak, Monday morning, William 
P. raised the shout of victory, after struggling hard 
all night. Our meeting went on gloriously all that 
day, and for several days and nights, with very lit- 
tle preaching or intermission; and many were the 
happy subjects of converting grace. Some time on 
Monday, my notorious William came to me, and told 
me that he gathered and strung that batch of frogs, 
and brought them to the altar, intending, while I was 
stooping and praying for the mourners, to slip them 
over my head and round my neck ; and while he was 
seeking an opportunity to do this, the mighty power 



144 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

of God fell on him. He said he never wanted to be 
any nearer hell than he felt himself to be when the 
power of God arrested him. Many of the very 
worst rowdies that attended this meeting were struck 
down and converted to God; and thus ended the 
Frog Campaign. About seventy joined the Church. 
There was another incident which occurred at 
this meeting that I will relate. Not very distant from 
Hopkinsville, near which town I Jived, there was a 
very interesting, fashionable, wealthy family, who 
were raised with all the diabolical hatred that a 
rigidly-enforced predestinarian education could im- 
part against the Methodists. It had pleased God, at a 
camp meeting near them, that I superintended, to 
arrest the wife and two of the daughters of the gen- 
tleman who was the head of this family, and they 
were powerfully converted, and joined the Methodist 
Church, and, as is common, they felt greatly attached 
to me as the instrument, in the hands of God, of their 
salvation. This enraged the husband and father of 
these interesting females very much. He not only 
threatened to whip me, but to kill me. He said I must 
be a very bad man, for all the women in the country 
were falling in love with me; and that I moved on 
their passions and took them into the Church with 
bad intentions. His eldest daughter, a fine, beautiful, 
intelligent young lady, wanted to attend the above-men- 
tioned camp meeting, and bespoke a seat in my car- 
riage, in company with others going to the same meet- 
ing. At first her father swore she should not go ; but on 
second thought he consented, but told his wife and 
daughter that he would go along, and that he would 
watch me closely, and that he had no doubt, before 
he would return, he would catch me at my devilment, 
and be able to show the world that I was a bad man, 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 145 

and put a stop to the women all running mad after 
this bad preacher. His daughter made ready, and 
we all started. We had about twenty-eight miles to 
go to reach the encampment. His daughter thought 
it her duty to tell me the designs of her father, and 
said she hoped I would be on my guard, for she verily 
thought that her father was so enraged that if he 
could not get something to lay to my charge to ruin 
my character as a preacher, that he would kill mo 
from pure malice. I told her, of course, I was wide 
awake, and duly sober, and I had not the least fear 
but what God would give me her father as a rescued 
captive from the devil before the camp meeting 
closed. Said I, " You must pray hard, and the work 
will be done." I said to her, " It is not the old big devil 
that is in your father ; it must be a little weakly, sick- 
ly devil that has taken possession of him, and I do not 
think that it will be a hard job to cast him out. Now," 
said I, '' if God takes hold of your father and shakes him 
over hell a little while, and he smells brimstone right 
strong, if there was a ship load of these little sickly dev- 
ils in him, they would be driven out just as easy as a 
tornado would drive the regiments of musketoes from 
around and about those stagnant ponds in the coun- 
try. Cheer up, sister ; I believe God will give me your 
father before we return." Seeing me so bold and con- 
fident she wept, and raised the shout in anticipation of 
so desirable an event. When we got to the camp- 
ground I had the company and their horses all taken 
care of, and then said to this man: ''We have a large 
preachers' tent, well provided with good beds; come, 
you must go with me and lodge in the preachers' tent." 
He seemed taken by surprise, and hesitated, but I 
took him right into the tent. " Now, sir," said I, " make 
yourself at home, for I hope to see you soundly con- 



146 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

verted before this camp meeting comes to a close." I 
saw his countenance fall, and perhaps this was the 
starting-point of his deep and pungent convictions. 
The trumpet sounded for preaching; I mounted the 
stand and preached; this man came and heard me. 
I saw clearly from his looks, that he was convicted, 
and had a hard struggle in his mind. He said to me, 
after the meeting was over, that my taking him into the 
preachers' tent and treating him so kindly, was ^ the 
worst whipping he ever got; he could not sleep, he 
said. Sometimes he thought he ,was a poor mean 
devil to treat me as he had done ; and surely I must 
be a Christian, or I never could treat him so kindly 
after he had said so many hard and bitter things about 
me. As the meeting progressed his convictions in- 
creased till he could neither eat nor sleep. 

On Sunday night, when such a tremendous power 
fell on the congregation, and my gang of rowdies 
fell by dozens on the right and left, my special per- 
secutor fell suddenly, as if a rifle ball had been shot 
through his heart. He lay powerless, and seemed 
cramped all over, till next morning; and about sun- 
rise began to come to. With a smile on his coun- 
tenance, he then sprang up, and bounded all over the 
camp-ground, with swelling shouts of glory and 
victory, that almost seemed to shake the encamp- 
ment. This was a glorious time for his daughter ; she 
came leaping and skipping to me, and shouted out 
that those little mean and sickly devils were cast 
out of her father. He joined the Church, went home, 
and for days the family did little else but sing, pray, 
and shout the high praises of God. 

From this family a blessed revival broke out and 
spread all round, and many were awakened and con- 
verted to God. 0, how often the devil overshoots 



PETER CAETWRIGHT. 147 

the mark by inducing his subjects to persecute 
preachers and the Church. God is above the devil, 
and the devil can never be cast out till he is first 
raised, or waked up. 

Although I have never laid much stress on dreams, 
yet on Monday night of this camp meeting I had a 
dream that made some impression on my mind. I 
here relate it and what followed, and let it go for 
what it is worth; for "what is the chaff to the 
wheat ?" In my night visions I thought I went on a 
fishing expedition. I thought the fish bit well, and 
I drew up and threw out many excellent, fine fish. 
At length I felt that a large fish, or something else, 
had got hold of my hook. I began to draw what- 
ever it was out, but it came slow and pulled heavy. 
At length I drew it to land, when behold, it was a 
large mud turtle. I awoke, and lo it was a dream ; 
and I was glad of it. 

There had been in attendance on our camp meet- 
ing an old apostate Baptist preacher, who had left 
his wife, who was yet living, and taken up with a 
young woman, and they were actually living in open 
adultery. He had, as he said, been awfully convict- 
ed during the meeting. He said he knew he had 
once enjoyed religion, but had lost it. He knew he 
had lost it all, and that, therefore, the doctrine of the 
unconditional perseverance of the saints, which he 
had preached for many years, was false; but he 
wanted to be saved, and he desired to join the Meth- 
odist Church. He said he belonged to a secret 
society, and they had not excluded him from that 
society, and they were honorable, high-minded men. 

All this took place in the public congregation. I 
told him that if we, as a Church, could do him any 
good on fair Scriptural terms, we should be glad to 



148 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

do it. ''But/' said I, " jou can not be so ignorant as 
not to know that the word of God condemns your 
course, and if our sins are as dear to us as a right 
foot, or hand, or eye, they must be cut off, or plucked 
out, and cast from us, or we can not enter heaven. 
Now, sir, are you willing, and will you give up this 
course of living, put away the woman with whom 
you are now living, and go anxl live with your law- 
ful wife, and will you do it now?" 

He burst into tears, wrung his hands in apparent 
agony, and said he wanted to be saved. "But will 
you not take me in on trial six months?" 

"No, sir, we will not, unless you sacredly pledge 
yourself, before God and the Church, that you will, 
from this moment, abandon your present course of 
living." 

He said he was afraid to promise this. -^ 

"Then," said I, "it is altogether useless to say an- 
other word on the subject, for we will not, under any 
consideration, receive you even on trial." 

So we parted, and I fear he was eternally lost. 
Now, whether this was my mud turtle or not, about 
which I dreamed, I can not say ; yet it really looked 
to me very much like it. 

A few years before this, there had been transferred 
from the Baltimore conference a warm-hearted, 
lively, and zealous preacher by the name of James 
Ward. His labors were greatly blessed, and some 
very powerful revivals of religion followed. There 
was also a tolerably-popular Baptist minister, by the 

name of J. V n, who attended several of brother 

Ward's meetings ; and whether he was in reality 
stirred up, or from other considerations, I will not 
pretend to judge, but so it was ; he started out on a 
large preaching scale. He was a tolerably-good 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 149 

preacher, and he was popular, and he soon had a 
mighty stir in the Baptist Church, and hundreds 
joined that Church, and he baptized them. He 
greatly erred on one subject; that was, he took a 
great deal of pleasure in proselyting from other 
Churches and making them members of his Church, 
as he said, "by wetting their jackets," that is, im- 
mersing them. He had been very successful in the 
upper counties of Kentucky. 

I had once accidentally fallen in at one of his ap- 
pointments, and heard him preach, but had no intro- 
duction to him; and from this circumstance I knew 
him, but he did not know me. About this time he 
sent a train of appointments down in the southern 
parts of Kentucky and West Tennessee, about Nash- 
ville, etc., etc. I had been on to Baltimore, attend- 
ing General conference, and was returning home 
near Hopkinsville, in southern Kentucky, in the 
month of June. We traveled in those days mostly 
on horseback. It was very warm, and dusty riding. 
When I got to Nashville I was informed that Mr. 
V. had just closed a protracted meeting in Nashville, 
and was to start for Hopkinsville that morning, and 
that it was probable I would fall in with him ; and so 
it turned out. A few miles from Nashville I fell in 
with him. It being so warm and dusty I had pulled 
off my coat and neckerchief, and tied them on be- 
hind me, and of course I was very dirty, and looked, 
I suppose, very little like a preacher. I rode up and 
spoke to Mr. V., and he to me. I had, in one respect, 
the advantage of him. I knew him, but he did not 
know me, but I studiously avoided calling him by 
name. He was very familiar and loquacious. 

"You are traveling, sir?" 

" Yes, sir," was my reply. 



150 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

"What parts are you from?" 

" I am directly from the city of Baltimore," said I. 

"Well, what is the news in that country?" said he. 

" Nothing very strange," said I. 

" Well," said he, " what is the most prevalent re- 
ligion, or most numerous denomination in that city?" 

" Well," said I, " those despicable Methodists are 
the most numerous of any Protestant Church there," 
answering him with a view to draw him out. 

"Well," said he, "that is a pity, for they are on a 
very rotten and sandy foundation." 

"Yes," said I, "but perhaps the people might fall 
into worse hands." 

" Hardly," said he. " But, sir, how are the Bap- 
tists prospering in and about Baltimore?" 

" Well," said I, " the Baptists are hardly known in 
that country." 

" Are you not mistaken, sir ?" 

" No, sir, I am not mistaken." 

" Well, wdiat can be the cause of that ?" 

" Why, sir, it is not strange at all ; the Baptists are 
exclusive immersionists, and won't commune with any 
other Christian denomination ; and they, on these 
principles, can not flourish among an enlightened and 
intelligent religious community." 

Just here the battle commenced, and this was what 
I wanted. He began to eulogize the Baptists, and 
contended that their mode of baptism was the only 
one that was Scriptural. The battle, or argument, 
lasted several hours, as we rode on side by side ; but 
at length he showed unmistakable signs of confu- 
sion, for he left the field of argument, and began to 
boast of the hundreds of Methodists and Presbyterians 
that he had immersed, and said " he was on his way 
then to Hopkins ville, and expected to immerse many 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 151 

of the Methodists, the converts of Peter Cartwright, 
a Methodist preacher that lived down there ; and, 
sir," said he, "there is no Scripture for infant bap- 
tism." I theniisked the following questions: 

"Do you believe that all children are saved, and 
go to heaven, and that there is not one infant in 
hell?" 

" Certainly I do," said he. 

"Well, if there are no children in hell, and all 
children dying in minority go to heaven, is not that 
Church that has no children in it more like hell than 
heaven ?" 

This question closed our argument, for he answered 
not at all. Just then we came to the forks of the road ; 
the right, which he was to go, led to Russellville, and 
the left, my road, to Hopkinsville. As we shook 
hands and parted, said I, "Mr. Y., I know you, 
and have the advantage of you; my name is Peter 
Cartwright ; I live two miles from Hopkinsville, 
where you are going next week to wet so many of 
the jackets of my Methodist members ; call and stay 
all night with me ; and I will help you make out your 
notes, and will see to the wetting of the jackets of 
my members." He promised to do so, but never 
came to my house. He attended to his appointments, 
but wet no Methodist jackets, and never succeeded in 
winning any great spoils in that region of country. 
He flourished awhile; then joined the Carapbellites; 
then left them, and returned to the Baptist Church, 
as I am informed; then moved to Missouri, and died. 
I hope his end was peaceful. 



1.52 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OE 



CHAPTER XIII. 

BISHOP ASBURY. 

In tte fall of 1815 our conference was held at 
Bethlehem meeting-house, in Wilson county, Tennes- 
see. Bishops Asbury and M'Kendree attended, though 
they were both in feeble health; and this was the 
last conference in the west that we were permitted 
to see Bishop Asbury. He preached to us with great 
unction and power, though in extremely-feeble health, 
not able to stand, and had to sit while he spoke to us 
for the last time. At this conference we elected our 
delegates to the General conference, which was to 
meet in Baltimore on the first of May, 1816. After 
the election was over Bishop Asbury called us — that 
is, the delegate elected — to his room, and then and 
there told us about the dissatisfaction that had made 
its appearance among some of the preachers with the 
government of the Methodist Episcopal Church, ex- 
plained the cause, and advised us to hold fast to the 
landmarks of Discipline with a firm grasp. His 
whole soul seemed to go out after the unity of Meth- 
odism, and to adopt every prudential measure to pre- 
vent any schism among us. He was very desirous to 
reach the General conference ; but the Lord ordered 
it otherwise; for, after he left Tennessee to go to 
South Carolina, he was attacked with a complication 
of diseases ; but still slowly moved on north, in hope 
of meeting the General conference in Baltimore. 
On the 24th of March he reached Richmond, Vir- 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 153 

ginia, where lie preached his last sermon. Being too 
feeble to walk, he was carried in the arms of his 
friends to the house of God, and then propped on a 
table ; there, as he sat, he delivered his last message to 
mortal man, hardly able to do so for want of breath. 
His sermon had a thrilling effect upon the congrega- 
tion. After preaching he was borne back to his 
carriage, and still urged on his way toward Baltimore. 
But when he arrived at the house of his old friend, 
Mr. George Arnold, about twenty miles south of 
Fredericsburg, Virginia, he could proceed no further. 

It was on Friday evening, the 29th of March, when 
this man of God, who had traveled half a century, 
near three hundred thousand miles, was taken from 
his carriage the last time. He lingered till Sunday, 
the 31st of March, in great distress of body. On that 
day, at the usual hour of religious worship, he re- 
quested the family to come together. The Rev. John 
W. .Bond, who had been his traveling companion for 
two years, prayed, and read and expounded the twenty- 
jBrst chapter of Revelation. During these exercises 
the dying man of God was calm, and much engaged 
in prayer. A few minutes after the close of these re- 
ligious services, as he was sitting in his chair, with 
his head reclined on the hand of his faithful attendant, 
without a struggle or a sigh, he fell asleep in death. 

He was buried in the family burying-ground of 
brother Arnold, at whose house he died; but the Gen- 
eral conference, at its session on the 1st of May, 1816, 
at the request of the people of Baltimore, ordered his 
remains removed, and deposited in a vault prepared 
for that purpose beneath the pulpit of Eutaw-Street 
Church. 

The reinterment of this great and good man pre- 
sented a scene of the most thrilling interest that I 



154 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ever beheld. The body was followed from the Light- 
Street to the Eutaw-Street Church by a vast concourse 
of people. At the head of the procession marched 
Bishop M'Kendree, the faithful colleague of the de- 
parted Asbury; next followed the members of the 
General conference, and last came the people in al- 
most unnumbered thousands. Bishop M'Kendree 
pronounced the funeral oration, and many were the 
tears shed by the weeping attendants ; and the mortal 
body of the venerable Bishop Asbury was laid to rest 
till the general resurrection. 

Over the vault is inscribed the following epitaph : 

Sacred 

to the memory of 

THE REV. FRANCIS ASBURY, 

Bishop of the 

Methodist Episcopal Church. 

He was Born in England, August 20th, 1745 ; 

Entered the Ministry at the age of seventeen ; 

Came a Missionary to America, 1771; 

Was ordained Bishop in this city December 27th, 1784 ; 

Annually visited the Conferences in the United States with 

much zeal ; continued to preach the word 

for more than half a century ; 

and literally ended his labors with his life, 

near Fredericsburg, Virginia, 

in the full triumph of faith, on the 31st of March, 1816, 

aged 70 years, 7 months, and 11 days. 

His remains were deposited in this vault, May 10th, 1816, 

by the General conference then sitting in this city. 

His Journals will exhibit to posterity his labors, his difficulties, 

his sufferings, his patience, his perseverance, 

his love to God and man. 

His remains were again removed from this vault, and deposited, 

by order of the General conference of 1852, in a 

cemetery near Baltimore ; and a monument 

is raised to perpetuate his memory to 

future generations. 



PETEE CAKT WRIGHT. 155 

I will here state a case, in reference to Bishop As- 
bury's transcendently superior talent to read men, 
which occurred at one of our v/estern conferences. 
The conference had been preceded with glorious re- 
vivals of religion, and many of the wealthy, and some 
of the learned, had joined the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, among whom were two very learned young 
men; one of them the son of a very distinguished, 
learned teacher, the other the son of a general — a dis- 
tinguished, wealthy man. Both of these young men 
professed to have a call to the ministry, and came with 
a recommendation to the conference to be received 
on trial in the traveling connection. They were both 
present, and Bishop Asbury had narrowly observed 
their conduct and conversation. At the proper time 
brother Learner Blackman, their presiding elder, 
presented their recommendations. He spoke of them 
in the highest terms, and considered them a great ac- 
quisition to the ministry and the Church. The con- 
ference received them with great unanimity. Bishop 
Asbury had sat with his eyes nearly shut. After they 
were received he seemed to wake up. "Yes, yes!'' 
he exclaimed ; " in all probability they both will dis- 
grace you and themselves before the year is out." 
And sure enough, in six months one was riding the 
circuit with a loaded pistol and a dirk, threatening to 
shoot- and stab the rowdies ; the other was guilty of a 
misdemeanor, and in less than nine months they were 
both out of the Church. Bishop Asbury would often 
say to the preachers, "You read books, but I read 
men." 

We received our appointments for this conference 
year, 1815-16, with but little dissatisfaction. I was 
returned to the Green River district. Our increase 
of members or preachers, in the Ohio and Tennessee 



156 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

conference, was but small this year, though we had 
some increase. 

In the spring, of 1816 our General conference con- 
vened, on the 1st of May, in the city of Baltimore. 
This was the second delegated General conference of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the first to which 
I was elected. 

We had no steamboats, railroad cars, or comfortable 
stages in those days. We had to travel from the ex- 
treme west on horseback. It generally took us near 
a month to go ; a month was spent at General confer- 
ence, and nearly a month in returning to our fields 
of labor. How different the facilities of travel then 
and now I 

Bishop Asbury being dead, and Bishop M'Kendree's 
health being poor, it became necessary to have two 
more bishops, and, accordingly, we elected Enoch 
George and R. R. Roberts, two good men, and tal- 
ented, regularly drilled in the itinerant work, and 
well prepared, from experience and practice, to sym- 
pathize with the seven hundred traveling preach- 
ers they had to station every year, suiting their tal- 
ents to over two hundred and fourteen thousand mem- 
bers in these United States and territories, and the 
provinces of Canada. 

This was a year of general prosperity throughout 
the connection; over thirty thousand probationers 
had been added to the Church. Many of us feared 
that at the decease of Bishop Asbury, dissensions and 
divisions would arise and injure our beloved Zion; 
but we had no question that gave us much trouble at 
that time. It is true slavery was a troublesome matter 
to legislate on ; but the one-eyed creature called Rabid 
Abolitionism had, at that time, been just born, and 
had but just cut its teeth, and could not bite hard; and 



PETER CART WEIGHT. 157 

it is a notorious fact, that all the preachers from the 
slaveholding states denounced slavery as a moral 
evil ; but asked of the General conference mercy 
and forbearance on account of the civil disabilities 
they labored under, so that we got along tolerably 
smooth. I do not recollect a single Methodist 
preacher, at that day, that justified slavery. But 
0, how have times changed ! 

Methodist preachers in those days made it a matter 
of conscience not to hold their fellow-creatures in 
bondage, if it was practicable to emancipate them, 
conformably to the laws of the state in which they 
lived. Methodism increased and spread ; and many 
Methodist preachers, taken from comparative poverty, 
not able to own a negro, and who preached loudly 
against it, improved, and became popular among 
slaveholders ; and many of them married into those 
slaveholding families, and became personally inter- 
ested in slave property, as it is called. Then they 
began to apologize for the evil; then to justify it, on 
legal principles ; then on Bible principles ; till lo and 
behold ! it is not an evil, but a good ; it is not a curse, 
but a blessing ; till really you would think, to hear 
them tell the story, if you had the means and did not 
buy a good lot of them, you would go to the devil for 
not enjoying the labor, toil, and sweat of this de- 
graded race, and all this without rendering them any 
equivalent whatever ! 

I will here repeat what I have elsewhere stated in 
this narrative, that I verily believe if the Methodist 
preachers had gone on as in olden times, bearing a 
testimony against the moral evil of slavery, and kept 
clear of it themselves, and never meddled with it 
politically, and formed no free-soil or abolition soci- 
eties, and given all their money and the productions 



158 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

of their pens in favor of the colonization organiza- 
tions, that long before this time many of the slave 
states would have been free states ; and, in my opin- 
ion, this is the only effectual way to get clear of slav- 
ery. If agitation must succeed agitation, strife suc- 
ceed strife, compromise succeed compromise, it will 
end in a dissolution of this blessed Union, civil war 
will follow, and rivers of human blood stain the soil 
of our happy country. 

At this General conference I heard, for the first 
time in my life, whisperings and innuendoes against 
the government of the Church. I suppose radicalism 
had just pipped. Many of our preachers that had 
traveled had, as I said before, married into slave- 
holding and otherwise wealthy families. Some of the 
first order of talent, that had located, began to say 
that local preachers ought to have a voice in the law- 
making department of the Church; and in order to 
make friends, they said the laity ought to have a voice 
in all the conferences ; but there was no special out- 
break at this General conference. But the unhallowed 
leaven of disaffection spread ; the friends of reform, so 
called, established a press and formed what they called 
Union Societies; so that by public lectures, the Union 
Societies, and the press, by 1820, when the General 
conference met again in Baltimore, it was astounding 
to s^e what evil disaffections had taken place. 

They then came out boldly. They wanted' to revo- 
lutionize the whole government of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. Many of our old and talented 
preachers were loud and bitter in complaints against 
our Church government ; and I was greatly alarmed 
to see so many strong, talented men carried away. 
Some of the hardest and bitterest things ever written 
or spoken against the power of the bishops, or the 



PETEE CART WRIGHT. 159 

despotism of the itinerant preachers' administration, 
were spoken and written bj men that were afterward 
made bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church and 
the Southern Church. Motion after motion was made, 
resolution after resolution was introduced, debate fol- 
lowed debate, for days, not to say weeks. The rad- 
icals wanted to take away the power of the bishops to 
appoint preachers to their fields of labor ; especially 
to deprive them of the power to appoint presiding 
elders, and make them elective by the annual confer- 
ences ; to have a lay delegation, and many other things. 

Finally, they concentrated all their arguments to 
make presiding elders elective; but on counting 
noses, they found we had a majority, though small; 
and rather than be defeated, they moved for a com- 
mittee of compromise. Strong men from each side 
were chosen; they patched up a sham compromise, 
as almost all compromises are, in Church or state. 
The committee reported in favor, whenever a pre- 
siding elder was needed for any district, the bishop 
should have the right to nominate three persons, and 
the conferences should have the right to elect one 
of the three. This report passed by a vote of about 
sixty; there were twenty-three, if my recollection is 
correct, in the minority against it. 

This report having passed, the radicals had a real 
jubilee. It was the entering wedge to many other 
revolutionary projects; and they began to pour them 
in at a mighty rate. I had, in my speech in debate 
on the subject, predicted that this would be the case. 
Our friends began to see their error, but it was well- 
nigh too late. 

In the mean time Bishop Soule, now of the Church 
South, had been elected to the office of a bishop, 
and he informed the General conference that he 



160 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

could not be ordained, because he could not conscien- 
tiously administer the government according to this 
inglorious compromise. (Perhaps this was the best 
act that Bishop Soule ever performed.) 

In the mean time I visited the room of Bishop 
M'Kendree, who was too feeble to preside in the 
conference. He wept, and said this compromise 
would ruin the Church forever if not changed, and 
advised that we make a united effort to suspend 
these rules or regulations for four years, and we 
counted votes, and found we could do it, and intro- 
duced a resolution to that effect. And now the war 
commenced afresh, and after debating the resolu- 
tion for several days, the radicals found that if the 
vote was put we would carry it, and they determined 
to break the quorum of the house, and for two or 
three times they succeeded. Bishop Roberts at 
length rebuked them sharply, and said, " If you can 
not defeat the measure honorably, you ought not to 
do it at all. Now," said he, " keep your seats and 
vote like men." This awed several of them, and 
they kept their seats ; the vote was put and carried, 
and these obnoxious rules were suspended for four 
years. 

But peace and harmony were very far from being 
restored to the Church. A strong and violent effort 
was made for the next four years by the revolution- 
ists, to carry their radical measures, and thousands of 
our members became disaffected, and by their con- 
stant agitations disturbed the peace, and endangered 
the harmony of the Church, till it really became 
imperatively necessary to arrest these lawless disturb- 
ers of the peace of the Church. They were arrested, 
brought to trial, and expelled for rebellion against the 
constituted authorities of the Church. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 161 

These wholesome and salutary measures were, by 
these self-styled reformers, denounced as tyranny and 
despotism. At our next General conference, in Balti- 
more, in 1824, the radical war against the Church 
still raged with unabated fury ; but we still had a 
majority in favor of our old and well-tried govern- 
ment, and we succeeded, after long and tedious de- 
bate, in suspending those heretical rules for four years 
more. This was the death warrant to the revolution- 
ists. From this time, many of the preachers and 
members began calmly to review their ground of 
reform, and became well satisfied that it was all 
wrong; and they retraced their steps, and became 
able and efficient expositors of the polity of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, 

The reaction threw death and destruction into the 
radical ranks, and created, as they thought, the ne- 
cessity of a separate organization. Accordingly, they 
set to work, and formed what they were pleased to 
call the Protestant Methodist Church, to which they 
incorporated all those radical measures for which 
they so strenuously contended before their amputa- 
tion or secession. They carried off thousands of our 
members, and many of our very talented preachers, 
and now they thought they would sweep the world ; 
and truly they have swept it, for they formed a com- 
plete trash trap, and a great many of our unfaithful 
members and preachers, that walked disorderly and 
would not be reproved or cured, have gone into it, 
and upon the whole they have saved the Methodist 
Episcopal Church a great deal of trouble in trying 
and expelling disorderly preachers and members ; 
for whenever they were expelled or arraigned for 
misconduct, they fled to these seceders. They took 
them in, regardless of the crimes laid to their charge ; 

14 



162 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

and by 1828, when our General conference sat in 
Pittsburg, this little radical brat gave its last squeak 
among us, and we repealed those obnoxious rules and 
regulations. The Church was restored to peace and 
harmonious action, and we have done infinitely better 
without them than we did with them. 

That this professed reform has proved, beyond any 
reasonable doubt, an entire failure, I think can not be 
questioned by any impartial and unprejudiced mind. 
Over thirty years have rolled by since they organized. 
They boasted that they commenced with over twenty 
thousand members, headed by a strong corps of tal- 
ented preachers ; and after gathering up thousands 
of the expelled and disaffected members of the Meth- 
odist, as well as other Churches, their numerical strength 
at this day is not, perhaps, over seventy thousand. 
They have tried to their hearts' content their Presby- 
terian form of government and their lay delegation. 
Their operations remind one of an old horse-mill 
with about one-third of the cogs out of the main 
wheel. There is a mighty jarring and jolting, and 
often a mighty strife about who shall be the big man. 
Woe to them that kick against the pricks. 

And now I say, and I speak with a respectful defer- 
ence, was there ever a heresy in doctrine or Church 
government that was not started by preachers? Look 
at the ten thousand and one erroneous doctrines, 
schisms, and divisions, that have sprung up almost in 
every country and clime, and in almost every age, and 
then ask, was there not a preacher or preachers 
at the head of it ? And here I may speak with confi- 
dence, and say, so far as the Methodist Church is con- 
cerned, from the days of John Wesley down to the 
present, there never has been a schism or a division 
in our Church but it was headed by a preacher or 



PETER CART V/ RIGHT. 163 

preachers, that have become wise above what is 
■written. Witness the seven divisions among the 
Wesleyan Methodists in England; then view the 
secessions in these United States, in the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. Look at Hammet in the south, 
at Stillwell in New York; see James O'Kellj in 
Virginia; then behold the radical secession from 
1820 to 1828 throughout the length and breadth of 
the land; then come to the great secession of the 
South in 1844. 

If these secessions had been left to the voice of our 
members, would they ever have taken place? No, 
verily, no, will be the answer of every intelligent 
man, woman, and child. But these preachers took 
an ungodly advantage of the members who stood 
firmly and strongly opposed to a division of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, and now, to keep up 
appearances, these very preachers, with their bribed 
judges, sneeringly call the Methodist Episcopal 
Church tlie Methodist Church, North, and say we are 
all rabid abolitionists, when they do verily know 
it is all false. At their late General conference they 
have fully disclosed the cloven foot of the slavery- 
loving preachers, for they have stricken out of their 
Discipline every rule on the subject of slavery, and 
had well-nigh stricken out that part of the General 
Rules that interdicts the slave-trade — according to 
their interpretation. I should not be greatly sur- 
prised if, in a few years, this rule goes by the board, 
and some of these slavery-loving preachers are 
engaged in importing them by the thousands into 
this land of the free and home of the brave. 0, kind 
Heaven, prevent it, and reclaim these wretched wan- 
derers ! 

And now, though we have spoken freely of preach- 



164 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ers and their faults, their errors ought not to be con- 
cealed. But this fact is not, as we conceive, any tri- 
umph to infidelity, nor should it discourage the Church. 
Among the first twelve that Christ called to the 
blessed work of the ministry there were two that 
fatally erred : Judas betrayed and Peter denied him ; 
the love of money and the fear of man were too strong 
for their religious attachment to Christ, and only 
proves the necessity of sacrificing every thing for the 
immortal honors of the cross; and although our sins 
are as near and dear to us as a right eye, hand, or 
foot, they must be plucked out, or cut ofi", and cast 
from us, knowing it is better, infinitely better, to 
make these sacrifices than retain them all, and be cast 
into hell. What a sad account will many preachers 
have to give in the day of judgment, who have 
preached a free salvation to listening thousands, while 
their poor degraded slaves are deprived of many of 
the blessings of life, and privileges of civil and relig- 
ious liberty ! These preachers must and do know that 
slavery is at war with the attributes and perfections 
of God, who will never punish the innocent or let the 
guilty go free. 

Whoever before knew of a professed slavery Church ? 
that is, one which justified slavery by the word of God? 
Well may some of them be ashamed of their assumed 
name, MetJiodist Episcopal Churchy South, and wish to 
change it ; for it is evident that they can never preach 
the Gospel successfully in any country that opposes 
slavery ; for they could not, by possibility, have any 
confidence in such preachers; and the poor slaves, 
in proportion to their capabilities of reasoning on the 
subject, just in that ratio must they lack confidence 
in such preachers. Nay, they must lack confidence 
in that God and religion that these preachers recom- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 165 

mend to them, and I am solemnly afraid that thou- 
sands of these poor slaves will be lost under the influ- 
ence of these slaveholding preachers; but I predict 
the downfall of such a Church, and hope by other 
men and means God will yet save the thousands of 
the South, and preserve our happy Union till it shall 
give liberty, civil and religious, to unnumbered mill- 
i^ns of the human family. 



166 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER XIV. 

FORMATION OF EARLY CIRCUITS IN THE WEST. 

Our annual conference this year was held at Frank- 
lin, Tennessee, October 20,1810. Our increase this 
year in the west, including the Ohio and Tennessee 
conferences, was 1,203. Our increase of traveling 
preachers in these two conferences was but two, owing 
to many locations for want of means of support. My 
four years on the Wabash and Green River district 
having expired. Bishop M'Kendree told me he desired 
me to go to the Holston district ; but it was a long 
journey to move, and I had a young and increasing 
family, and I was poor. I asked him to be excused, 
but if he thought it best I would go ; but he appointed 
me to the Christian circuit, in the Green River dis- 
trict, James Axley presiding elder; this was the year 
1816-17. 

It must be borne in mind that in the west we 
always received our appointments for the year in 
the fall of the previous year, and it must also be re- 
membered that the General conference of 1816 formed 
the Missouri conference, which covered that state, 
and Arkansas, Illinois, and Indiana states. Of course 
there was a considerable change in our work. They 
also, at the same General conference, formed the 
Mississippi conference. The Ohio conference was 
composed of Ohio, Muskingum, Scioto, Miami, and 
Kentucky districts, five in number. The Missouri 
conference was composed of Illinois and Missouri 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 167 

districts, covering the principal settlements in four 
large states, though only two districts. 

It is probable that the first introduction of Method- 
ism in the state of Indiana was in 1802 or 1803. In 
the fall of 1804 Clark's Grant, or the Illinois Grant, 
as it was called, which was opposite and north of Lou- 
isville, was then included in the Salt River and Shel- 
by ville circuits, and brother Benjamin Lakin and my- 
self crossed the Ohio river, and preached at brother 
Robertson's and Prather's. In this grant we had two 
classes, and splendid revivals of religion ; and if my 
recollection serves me correctly, this Illinois Grant 
was formed in a circuit in 1807-8^ and Moses Ash- 
worth was appointed to travel it ; it was called Silver 
Creek circuit. This was the first regular circuit ever 
formed in the state of Indiana, and composed of one 
hundred and eighty-eight members. The next circuit 
formed in the state of Indiana was called Yincennes 
circuit, which I formed in 1808, at the time I fought 
the memorable battle with the Shakers, in the Busroe 
settlement, elsewhere named in this narrative. This 
circuit was temporarily supplied, probably, till 1811 ; 
it then had 125 members, and Thomas Stillwell was 
its first regular preacher ; it belonged to the Green 
River district. The first introduction of Methodism 
in the state of Illinois is hard to determine. 

The real pioneer and leader of Episcopal Methodism 
in the state of Illinois was Captain Joseph Ogle, who 
came to Illinois in 1785, and was converted under the 
preaching of James Smith, 'Baptist, of Kentucky, who 
visited and preached in Illinois in 1787. The first 
Methodist preacher was Joseph Lillard, who visited 
this state in 1793, and formed a class in St. Clair 
county, and appointed Captain Ogle leader. The next 
Methodist preacher was John Clarke, who was origin- 



168 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF 

ally a circuit-rider in South Carolina, from 1791 to 
1796, when he withdrew on account of slavery. He 
was the first man that preached the Gospel west of 
the Mississippi, in 1798. The Rev. Hosea Riggs was 
-the first Methodist preacher that settled in Illinois, 
and he revived and reorganized the class at Captain 
Ogle's, formed by Lillard, which had dropped its reg- 
ular meetings. 

From 1798 there seems to have been no regular 
preacher in Illinois till 1804; then Benjamin Young 
was sent as a missionary. In the fall of 1805 he re- 
turned sixty-seven members, and Joseph Oglesby was 
appointed to succeed brother Young on the Illinois 
circuit. This circuit was in the Cumberland district, 
Western conference, and Lewis Garrett presiding 
elder, though I think he never visited Illinois. In 
1806 Charles Methany was appointed to the Illinois 
circuit. In 1807 Jesse Walker was appointed to this 
circuit, and in 1808 John Clingan. All these early 
pioneer preachers have long since passed away, and 
gone to their reward. "Blessed are the dead that 
die in the Lord; they rest from their labors, and 
their works do follow them." 

The Tennessee conference was composed of Salt 
River, Nashville, Cumberland, Green River, Holston, 
and French Broad districts. The Mississippi confer- 
ence was composed of Mississippi and Louisiana dis- 
tricts. Our old Western conference had now, in four 
years from its first division, increased to four annual 
conferences, and they started in this form with the 
following ministers and members. According to the 
Minutes of 1817, Ohio had 22,171 members and 62 
preachers; Missouri had 3,173 members and 23 trav- 
eling preachers ; Tennessee had 19,401 members 
and 58 traveling preachers; Mississippi conference 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 169 

had 1,941 members, and 11 traveling preachers. 
Our four conferences now covered the following states : 
Ohio, Indiana, lUinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, 
Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and 
Western Virginia, and some appointments in North 
Carolina. In the fall of 1813 I had left the Christian 
circuit for the district, with 743 members, and I now 
found 546, but parts of the circuit and membership 
had been merged into other circuits. I was without 
any helper, and it was a full four weeks' circuit. 

This year we had some glorious revivals. There was 
a small society of good members some five miles north 
of Hopkinsville ; one of our quarterly meetings was 
held here, and a blessed work broke out ; some sev- 
enty were converted and joined the Church. Several 
of these young converts made useful ministers in the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Down near the Tennessee state line, there moved 
and settled two wealthy Methodist families, but they 
were surrounded by a strong settlement who were 
very rigid Calvinists, raised to hate the Methodists. 
I took them in the circuit, but it being a week-day 
appointment, and strong prejudices against us, our 
congregations were small. These two families had 
over one hundred and twenty slaves, and the slaves 
were dreadfully wicked; they were a drunken. Sab- 
bath-breaking, and thievish set of slaves. The mas- 
ters were very humane and indulgent. There were 
but two, I believe, among them that were professors 
at all; two old gray-headed men. One of them was a 
Methodist, the other was a Baptist; both were exhort- 
ers among the people of color. The brother at whose 
house I preached was a plain, old-fashioned Method- 
ist in almost every thing save slavery. I was opposed 
to slavery, though I did not meddle with it politically, 

15 



170 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

yet I felt it my duty to bear my testimony against the 
moral wrong of slavery. The old brother took some 
exceptions to my testimony against it. I saw very 
plainly that in all probability these slaves must be 
lost. On week-days they were under an overseer, 
and not permitted to hear preaching. Sundays they 
were out drinking and trading, selling brooms, bask- 
ets, and the little articles they manufactured. I felt 
distressed at the thought that they would be lost. At 
length I asked the old brother to give me the privi- 
lege to go to their cabins and preach to them ; he 
thought this too great a degradation for a preacher. 
I told him if something was not done for them they 
would all be lost, and that God held him in a strong 
sense accountable, and that something must be done. 
He said he was willing I should preach to them if I 
would preach to them in his house. I told him I had 
this objection to that : " You white people will be pres- 
ent, and your very presence will embarrass them and 
me both. I want to talk to them as ignorant negroes, 
and tell them of all their drunkenness, stealing, acts 
of adultery, and Sabbath-breaking; and I can not do 
it if the white people are present." He then proposed 
to give the negroes the large room and entry, and 
that he and his brother-in-law's family would retire to 
another room. I said, "• If you w^ill let me lock you 
up, I will agree to it." He assented. 

The appointment was made, and all the slaves of 
the two families directed to attend. I told John and 
Harry, the two black men that were exhorters, that 
if any impression was made on any of them, they 
must set out a mourners' bench, and assist me in talk- 
ing to and praying with them. 

The day rolled on ; I attended ; the room was full, 
and entry too. I locked up the • white people, in 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 171 

another room and went in and took my stand. There 
was belonging to the old brother a large, likely mu- 
latto man, the carriage-driver; he dressed much finer 
than his master; he came and took his stand in the 
door, his bosom full of ruffles. He looked scornfully 
on me, as good as to say, "Yes, you think you are 
going to do great things in preaching to us colored 
people." I sung and prayed; took my text; explained 
the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ ; then told 
them of all their dirty deeds, in as plain language as 
I could command; and then, in as warm an exhorta- 
tion as I could give, I warned them to flee from the 
wrath to come ; and just as I closed, the large ruffle- 
shirted carriage-driver fell full length on the floor, 
and made the house jar and tremble. In a few min- 
utes they fell right and left, till the place was strewed 
with them in every direction. John and Harry, my 
two armor-bearers, set out a bench, and gathered 
them to it till they could get no more, for the crowd; 
and the first thing I knew, here were the old brother 
and his wife, his brother-in-law and wife, talking to 
and praying with the negroes, and several of their 
children down with the negroes praying for mercy at 
a mighty rate. Our meeting lasted all the afternoon 
and night, and there were forty conversions; several 
of the white children among the rest. From this a 
blessed revival spread among the slaves, and many 
of them, I believe, were soundly converted. I took 
some seventy into the Church; baptized them and 
their children. Several of these colored men made 
respectable local preachers to preach to the slaves 
around the country. 

These two old Methodist men said I had in a tem- 
poral sense bettered or enhanced the value of their 
servants more than a thousand dollars; they ceased 



172 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

getting drunk, stealing, and breaking the Sabbath. 
This revival among the slaves, with many others 
that I have been engaged in, fully satisfies me that 
the Gospel ought to be carried to slaves and owners of 
slaves ; for if the religion of Jesus Christ will not finally 
bring about emancipation of the slaves, nothing elseH 
will. I am greatly astonished at many good Methodist^l 
preachers that say, " Do n't carry the Gospel into slave 
states; but deliver over to the uncovenanted mercies 
of God slaves and their masters ;" for they say virtu- 
ally, none of them can be saved. But I know better ; 
and unless freedom for the slaves is accomplished, 
under the redeeming influence of religion, this happy 
Union will be split from center to circumference, and 
then there will be an end to our happy and glorious 
republic. And if we do not carry the Gospel to these 
slaves and their masters, 'who will? surely not the 
ministers who justify slavery by perverting the word 
of God; and still more surely not abolition preachers, 
who by political agitation have cut themselves off 
from any access to slaveholders or slaves. 

I wish we had a trained band of preachers of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church who are willing to let 
our Discipline be as it is, to send into every slave 
state in the Union. Surely here is missionary ground 
that ought to be occupied with great care, for the 
salvation of the perishing thousands of the south, and 
for the final overthrow of slavery, under the benign 
influences of the Christian religion. 

There was another incident occurred this year, 
that I will mention in this place. Many of the 
early Methodists somehow imbibed the notion that 
a quarter of a dollar meant what we call quarter- 
age; and although many of them were wealthy, it 
was hard to convince them that twenty-five cents 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 173 

were not quarterage, and that every member should 
pay according to his ability. This was one cause 
why so many of our preachers were starved into a 
location, and of necessity had to retire from the itin- 
erant field. 

There were two wealthy families moved into my 
circuit from one of the old states, and settled in a 
very wicked neighborhood. They came to me, and 
insisted that I should take them into the circuit and 
preach to them. I did so; and formed a class of 
five white members, and one old black man. The 
round on the circuit before the next quarterly meet- 
ing I told them, as none of them would go to the 
quarterly meeting, that if they had any thing to send 
up as their quarterage to support the Grospel, if they 
would hand it to me, I would credit it to their names 
on the class paper. 

The old negro man stepped forward and laid down 
his quarter of a dollar. Next came his mistress ; she 
handed me two dollars; then came her husband and 
the master of the old black man, and threw down 
twenty-five cents. 

Said I, "Colonel, what is this twenty-five cents 
for?" 

Said he, " It is my quarterage." 
. "Surely, Colonel," said I, "you are going to give 
more than that." 

"No, sir," said he ; "I will have you to know beg- 
gars are not to be choosers." 

" Well, sir," said I, " I will have you to know I am 
no beggar. I have a just claim on you, and you owe 
it to me ; and if you will not give me more than that, 
I will not have it." 

"Very well," said he. 

So I left the money on the table. "And now, sir," 



174 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

said I, ^' if you will not support the Gospel, I shall 
not leave any other appointment here, but will go 
and preach to those who are willing to support the 
Gospel." 

The old brother was considerably riled. His good 
lady expostulated with him ; but he was inexorable. 
The sister told me afterward that the Colonel spent 
a sleepless night ; he kept twisting, and turning from 
side to side, and groaning all night. She spoke to 
him several times, and told him if he would resolve 
to be more liberal, his bad feelings would go off, and 
he would sleep better. The old brother got up the 
next morning, and after family worship he said to 
me: 

"Brother, what ought I to give as quarterage?" 

" 0," said I, " brother, I can't answer that ques- 
tion; that is a matter between God and your con- 
science. "But," said I, "brother, solve the following 
question, and you will know what you ought to give : 
If your old negro man, not worth ten dollars, gave 
twenty-five cents a quarter, what ought Colonel T., 
who has seventy slaves, two thousand acres of good 
land, several thousand dollars out at interest, and 
worth, at least, fifty thousand dollars, to give?" 

The solving of this question stumped him, and his 
quarterage ever afterward, as long as. I knew him, 
came by dollars and not cents. And when I last saw 
him, as I moved to Illinois, he stopped me in the 
road, and said : 

" Brother, I owe you a thousand dollars, and here 's 
part of it," handing me a fifty dollar bill. 

His excellent wife, leaning on his arm, said to me, 
" I owe you as much as my husband, take a part," 
and handed me a twenty dollar bill. Thus I cured a 
quarter- of- a- dollar- quarterage member ; and, my dear 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 175 

reader, if you are one of these old dispensationists, 
look out for a perfect cure, or come and be healed 
of this parsimonious leprosy. 

In traveling the Christian circuit, which crossed 
the Tennessee state line, and lay partly in Tennessee, 
and partly in Kentucky, in one of my exploring 
routes, hunting up new ground and new appoint- 
ments to preach at, late one evening, in or near the 
Cumberland river bottom, I called at a gentle- 
man's gate, and asked the privilege of staying all 
night. The gentleman very readily granted my 
request. He was a wealthy farmer, the owner of 
several slaves. I found a mild, good, easy, fashiona- 
ble family. After supper several neighbors came in 
to spend an evening in social chat. Being a stranger 
among them, I turned the conversation on religious 
subjects; inquired if they had any preaching. I 
soon found they had very little preaching of any 
kind. I told the gentleman my business was to 
preach any where I could get peaceable and orderly 
hearers, and asked him if I might not leave an ap- 
pointment to preach at his house. He pleasantly 
said, if he had heard me preach and liked my preach- 
ing, he could better determine whether to grant me 
the privilege to leave an appointment or not. I told 
him as he had a large family, black and white, and 
as there was some five or six visitors present, if he 
had no objections, and would call them together, I 
would preach to them, and he could the better judge 
how he liked my preaching, and determine whether 
I should leave a future appointment. He agreed to 
the proposition, and called all in. I sung and prayed, 
took my text, and preached to them about an hour 
as best I could. The colored people wept; the white 
people wept ; the man of the house wept ; and when 



176 AUTOBIOaHAPHY OF 

I closed, he said, "Do leave another appointment, 
and come and preach to us, for we are sinners, and 
greatly need preaching." I left an appointment, but 
before I came round the devil stirred up opposition. 
One man told the gentleman at whose house I 
preached, that if he let the Methodist preachers 
preach at his house it would not be long before they 
would eat him out of house and home. He said his 
father had taken in Methodist preachers, and in a 
few years they ate him out, and brought him to pov- 
erty; and, besides, these Methodist preachers were a 
very bad set of men. Mr. B. told this man that he 
thought he could stand it awhile, and if he found 
there was any danger of being eaten out he would 
send us adrift. 

When I came to my appointment there was a large 
congregation; the house and porch were literally 
crowded. I preached to them with great freedom, 
and almost the whole congregation were melted into 
tears. I sung, prayed, and went through the con- 
gregation, and shook hands with a great many of 
them. When I came to the man of the house he 
wept, and fell on his knees, and begged me to pray 
for him. Soon his wife and children, and several 
others, knelt by his side, and cried aloud for mercy. 
It was late at night before our meeting closed, and 
not till the swelling shouts of five or six went to 
heaven that the dead were alive and the lost were 
found. I opened the doors of the Church for the re- 
ception of members, and some ten persons joined, the 
man of the house, his wife, two children, and two 
servants. This was the first-fruits of a gracious re- 
vival, and a large society in this neighborhood; and 
while I lived in that country we held a sacramental 
meeting at this place every year. After the first 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 177 

sacrament we held there, brother B. rose and ad- 
dressed the large assembly. He said, " Some of you 
kindly warned me not to take in these Methodist 
preachers. You said they would eat me out and 
bring me to poverty; but, neighbors, I have raised 
more corn, more wheat, more hemp, more tobacco, 
and never lived as well and plentifully in all my life. 
I could feed a regiment of Methodist preachers all 
the time, and then get rich, for God blesses me in my 
basket and in my store." 

During this year, while on this circuit, something 
like the following occurred : An Englishman, a Wes- 
leyan Methodist, moved into a very wicked and high- 
strung predestinarian settlement. He came several 
miles and made himself known. He invited me to 
preach at his house. I told him the people were so prej- 
udiced against the Methodists that we could not get 
them out to hear on a week-day ; but he insisted, and I 
gave him an appointment. When I came there were 
only five besides the family. I preached ; two of the 
little company wept. I left another appointment. For 
several times that I preached to them, my congre- 
gation increased, and were orderly and somewhat 
affected. At length the Englishman, being wealthy, 
told me he was going to build a church. I tried to 
dissuade him from it. I told him he could get no 
help to build; that there was no society, and not 
much probability that there would ever be a Meth- 
odist society there; but, he said, he thought a man 
lived to very little purpose in this world, if he did 
not live so as to leave his mark, that would tell when 
he was dead and gone. " Now," said he, if you will 
promise me that you will hold a protracted meeting, 
and give us a sacrament, and get some help, and come 
and dedicate the church, it shall be up and finished 



178 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

in eight or ten weeks." I told him I would do so, if 
spared; in the mean time, while the church was in 
process of building, we had two or three conversions 
at our little meetings. The church being finished, I 
got the help needed, appointed a protracted sacra- 
mental meeting to dedicate the church, and invited 
people far and near to attend; and it being a new 
thing in the settlement, when the day came there was 
a very large concourse of people. The first sermon 
on Saturday was attended with great power; that 
night there were several mourners and two sound 
conversions. On Sunday, under the sermon of dedi- 
cation, the word was attended with great power; 
many fell under the mighty power of God. Our 
meeting lasted all that day and night, with very little 
intermission, and about twenty were converted. 

Our meeting continued several days and nights; 
many were the happy conversions to God, and forty 
joined the .Church. My Englishman was so happy, 
he hardly knew whether he was in the body or out of 
it. Methodism was firmly planted here. Long since 
my English brother died in great peace, and rests in 
heaven from his labors, and his works do follow him; 
but surely he made his "mark," and it will be owned 
in heaven. 

From the earliest of my recollection, up to this 
time, 1816, there were scarcely any books of any kind 
in this now mighty west; but especially was there a 
great scarcity of Bibles and Testaments. We were 
young and poor as a nation; had but a few years 
gained our liberty; had hardly begun to live as 
a republic after a bloody and devastating war 
for our independence; and although Congress, the 
very first year after the declaration of our independ- 
ence, had wisely taken steps for furnishing the strug- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 179 

gling infant for independence with the word of God, 
and did order that precious book, yet there was a 
great lack of the Bible, especially in the wilderness 
of the west; but this year the Lord put it into the 
hearts of some, of his people to organize a Bible So- 
ciety, which was done on the 11th of May, 1816; and 
although at first it was a feeble concern, yet God has 
prospered it, and millions upon millions of this pre- 
cious book have been printed and circulated, and it 
is pouring streams of light, life, and knowledge upon 
almost every nation of this sin-stricken world. The 
man of sin has quailed before it ; the false religion 
of the God-dishonoring prophet is tottering before its 
mighty truths ; the dying idolatrous pagan millions 
are receiving its soul-converting truths, and we hope 
for its universal spread till every crowned head shall 
be brought down to the dust, every oppressive yoke 
broken, universal civil and religious liberty enjoyed 
by our fallen race, and the benefits of the redeeming 
stream be enjoyed by all mankind. ^ 

Nothing but the principles of the Bible can save 
our happy nation or the world, and every friend of 
religion ought to spread the Bible to the utmost of 
his power and means. Then let us look for the happy 
end of the universal spread of truth, when all flesh 
shall see the salvation of God. 



180 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER XV. 

EARTHQUAKE IN THE SOUTH. 

The conference was held in Franklin, Tennessee, 
October 30, 1817. I was appointed to travel on 
the Christian circuit. Green River district, James 
Axley presiding elder. Our increase this year was 
5,163 members, and 7 preachers, in the four confer- 
ences. In the winter of 1812 we had a very severe 
earthquake ; it seemed to stop the current of the Mis- 
sissippi, broke flat-boats loose from their moorings, 
and opened large cracks or fissures in the earth. This 
earthquake struck terror to thousands of people, and 
under the mighty panic hundreds and thousands 
crowded to, and joined the different Churches. There 
were many very interesting incidents connected with 
the shaking of the earth at this time; two I will name. 
I had preached in Nashville the night before the second 
dreadful shock came, to a large congregation. Early 
the next morning I arose and walked out on the hill 
near the house where I had preached, when I saw a 
negro woman coming down the hill to the spring, with 
an empty pail on her head. (It is very common for 
negroes to carry water this way without touching the 
pail with either hand.) When she got within a few 
rods of where I stood the earth began to tremble and 
jar; chimneys were thrown down, scaffolding around 
many new buildings fell with a loud crash, hundreds 
of the citizens suddenly awoke, and sprang into the 
streets ; loud screaming followed, for many thought 



PETER CAET\yilIGHT. 181 

the day of judgment was come. The young mistresses 
of the above-named negro woman came running after 
her, and begging her to pray for them. She raised the 
shout and said to them,, '' My Jesus is coming in the 
clouds of heaven, and I can't wait to pray for you 
now; I must go and meet him. I told you so, that he 
would come, and you would not believe me. Farewell. 
Halleluiah ! Jesus is coming, and I am ready. Halle- 
luiah! Amen." And on she w^ent, shouting and clap- 
ping her hands, with the empty pail on her head. 

Near Russellville, Logan county, Kentucky, lived 
old brother Valentine Cook, of very precious memory, 
with his wife Tabitha. Brother Cook was a graduate 
at Cokesbury College at an early day in the history of 
Methodism in these United States. He was a very, 
pious, successful pioneer preacher, but, for the want 
of a sufficient support for a rising and rapidly-increas- 
ing family, he had located, and was teaching school at 
the time of the above-named earthquake. He and 
wife were in bed when the earth began to shake and 
tremble. He sprang out of bed, threw open the door, 
and began to shout, and started, with nothing on but 
his night-clothes. He steered his course east, shouting 
every step, saying, " My Jesus is coming." His wife 
took after him, and at the top of her voice cried out, 
<'0 Mr. Cook, do n't leave me." 

" Tabby," said he, " my Jesus is coming, and I 
can not wait for you ;" and on he went, shouting every 
jump, "My Jesus is coming; I can't wait for you. 
Tabby." 

The years of the excitement by these earthquakes 
hundreds joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, and 
thbugh many were sincere, and stood firm, yet there 
were hundreds that no doubt had joined from mere 
fright. My predecessors had for several years held 



182 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

the reins of discipline with a very loose hand, and 
when Bishop M'Kendree told me privately he wished 
me to go to the Red River circuit at the conference 
of 1817, my heart was troubled within me, for I knew 
the state of the circuit. There were many wealthy-, 
fashionable families in the Church ; slavery abounded 
in it, and the members had been allowed to buy and 
sell without being dealt with ; moreover, these were 
the days of common, fashionable dram-drinking, before 
the great temperance reformation was started ; and ex- 
travagant dressing was the unrestrained order of the 
day; and there were about twenty talented local 
preachers in the circuit, many of them participators 
in these evils, and I dreaded the war that must follow. 
Under this conviction I begged Bishop M'Kendree 
not to send me there. He very gravely replied : " There 
are many members in that circuit that may be saved 
by a firm, judicious exercise of discipline, that other- 
wise will be lost, and I wish you to go and do for 
them the best you can." 

"Enough said," replied I; "I'll go." 

At the upper end of the circuit, not more than 
eight or nine miles from Nashville, there was a large 
society and a meeting-house. My predecessor had 
left a conditional appointment for his successor. I 
was a total stranger in this region. The day of my 
conditional appointment was a dark day, misting 
with rain, but I got there in due time. After waiting 
till half-past twelve o'clock one man came, who had 
had the misfortune to lose one of his eyes. We sat 
a little while, and I asked him if there was not an 
appointment for preaching that day. 

"Yes," said he; "but there will be no preacher or 
people, I suppose." I saw from his answer he did not 
suspect me for the preacher. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 183 

He further said: "As it js late and no preacher 
nor people, we had as well go. Come, go home with 
me and get some dinner." 

"No," said I, "we must have meeting; and if you 
will preach, I will conclude after you." 

"No, no," said he; "if you will preach, I will con- 
clude after you." 

"Agreed," said I, and up I rose in the stand, sung 
and prayed, took my text, and preached as best I 
could for forty-five minutes, and then called on him, 
and he rose, sung and prayed, and prayed well. 

I went home with my one man, my entire congre- 
gation, and found him to be a pious, religious elder 
in the Presbyterian Church. Erom the novelty of the 
effort of the day, my friend professed to think it was 
one of the greatest sermons he had ever heard in all 
his life. 

I left another appointment, and went on my way 
round the circuit. For weeks my one-man congrega- 
tion proclaimed and circulated my next appointment, 
telling the people what a great preacher had come to 
the circuit; and when I came to my next appoint- 
ment, the whole hill-side was covered with horses and 
carriages, and the church crowded to overflowing. 
My heart almost fainted within me for fear I should 
not meet the expectations of the people ; but the Lord 
helped me, and we had a mighty shaking among the 
dry bones, and a blessed revival broke out. Our 
meeting lasted several days and nights, and many 
souls were happily converted to God and joined the 
Church on my first round on this circuit. 

When I got to the lower end of the circuit I found a 
large society, a fine class-leader, and a very pious, old, 
superannuated traveling preacher. He told me the 
society was in a most wretched condition ; that there 



184 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF 

was a very popular local preacher in the society, who 
married a great many people, and was in the habit 
of drinking too much at almost every wedding he at- 
tended ; and that he had a large connection, all in the 
Church, and that for years the preachers were afraid 
to do any thing with him. 

The next day, which was Sabbath, we had a large 
congregation, and after preaching, as my uniform cus- 
tom was, I met the class. My popular local preacher 
was present. In examining the leader of the class I, 
among many other questions, asked him if he drank 
drams. He promptly answered me, No, he did not. 

"Brother," said I, "why do you not?" He hesi- 
tated; but I insisted that he should tell the reason 
why he did not. 

" Well, brother," said he, " if I must tell the reason 
why I do not drink drams, it is because I think it is 
wrong to do so." 

"That's right, brother," said I; "speak it out, for 
it is altogether wrong for a Christian ; and a class- 
leader should set a better example to the class he 
leads, and to all others." 

When I came to the local preacher I said, " Brother 
W., do you drink drams?" 

"Yes," said he. 

"What is your particular reason for drinking 
drams?" I asked him. 

" Because it makes me feel well," he answered. 

" You drink till you feel it, do you ?" said I. 

" Certainly," said he* 

" Well, how much do you drink at a time ?" 

He replied, gruffly, that he never measured it. 

"Brother, how often do you drink in a day?" 

" Just when I feel like it, if I can get it." 

"Well, brother, there are complaints that you 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 185 

drink too often and too much ; and the Saturday be- 
fore my next appointment here you must meet a 
committee of local preachers at ten o'clock, to inves- 
tigate this matter; therefore prepare yourself for 
trial." 

''0!" said he, "if you are for that sort of play, 
come on; I '11 be ready for you." 

I had hard work to get a committee that were not 
dram-drinkers themselves. The trial came on; the 
class-leader brought evidence that the local preacher 
had been intoxicated often, and really drunk several 
times. The committee found him guilty of immoral 
conduct, and suspended him till the next quarterly 
meeting ; and then the quarterly meeting, after hard 
debate, expelled him. The whole society nearly were 
present. 

After this expulsion, and I had read him out, his 
wife and children, and connections, and one or two 
friends, to the number of thirteen, rose up and with- 
drew from the society. I told the society if there was 
any thing against their moral character, they could 
not withdraw without an investigation; but if there 
was nothing against their moral character, they could 
withdraw. The leader said there was nothing im- 
moral against them, so I laid down the gap and let 
them out of the Church. They then demanded a 
letter. I told them there was no rule by which they 
had a right to a letter, unless they were going to move 
and join some other society of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. They said they never intended to join 
the Methodist Episcopal Church again. I then told 
them that they came to us without a letter, and must 
go without a letter. I then read the rules ; exhorted 
the leader to be punctual, faithful, and pious; the 
members I urged to attend all the public and private 

16 



186 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

means of grace, especially class meetings, love-feasts, 
and the sacraments, and to bring and dedicate their 
children to God, by having them baptized. 

From this very day the work of religion broke ou 
in the society and settlement, and before the year 
closed I took back the thirteen that withdrew, and 
about forty more joined the Church, and not a dram- 
drinker in the whole society ; but the poor local 
preacher who had been expelled, I fear lived and 
died a drunkard. 

This was a four weeks' circuit, and I had no help- 
ers; and on examination of the class papers I found 
over one hundred and fifty delinquent members; 
some, yea, many of them had not been in a class 
meeting for one, two, and three years. I determined, 
with a mild and firm hand, to pull the reins of our 
Discipline, and by the aid of the leaders, and by my 
personally visiting the delinquents, we managed to 
see every one of them, and talk to them. 

Through the blessing of God upon our labors, we 
saved to the Church about sixty of them ; the others 
we dropped, laid aside, or expelled. This was awful 
work, to turn out or drop ninety persons in about nine 
months; it bowed me down in spirit greatly; it 
looked like as if a tornado had fearfully swept over 
the Church; but there was a stop put to trading in 
slaves, and the dram-drinkers became very few, and 
many threw ofi" their jewelry and superfluous dress- 
ing; prayer meetings sprung up, class meetings were 
generally attended, our congregations increased, our 
fasts were kept. Toward the last quarter of the year 
I beat up for a general camp meeting, and there was 
a general rally. We had a large camp-ground, seats 
for thousands prepared, a large shed built over the 
altar and pulpit that would shelter more than a thou- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 187 

sand people. The square of our camp-ground was 
well filled. The camp meeting lasted eight days and 
nights; the preachers preached, the power of God 
attended, sinners by the score fell ; the altar, though 
very large, was filled to overflowing ; and while many 
managed and labored in the altar with mourners, we 
erected another stand at the opposite end of the en- 
campment, and there the faithful minister proclaimed 
the word of life. The power of God came there as 
the sound of a mighty, rushing wind ; and such was 
the effect, that crowds of mourners came forward and 
kneeled at the benches prepared, and, indeed, the 
work spread all over the encampment and almost in 
every tent. There were two hundred and fifty who 
professed religion, and one hundred and seventy 
joined the Church, besides about forty colored people. 
Glory to God! Zion travailed, and brought forth 
many sons and daughters to God, 

Many of these converts and accessions to the Church 
were from different and distant circuits around ; for 
people in those days thought no hardship of going 
many miles to a camp meeting. I was continued two 
years on this circuit; the first year J. Axley, pre- 
siding elder; the second year M. Lindsey was my 
presiding elder. There were many interesting inci- 
dents that occurred during my stay on this circuit. 
A few I will name. 

At Mount Zion meeting-house there was a good 
class of poor, simple-hearted Methodists that desired 
to hold class meeting, according to rule, with closed 
doors, admitting persons not members of the Church 
only two or three times, unless they intended to join. 
There was an old lady in the settlement, a New Light 
by profession, who hated the Methodists and despised 
class meetings with closed doors, but would stay in, in 



188 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

spite of the leader. She would take her seat near 
the door, and open it while the leader was speaking 
to the class. They had tried to stop her many ways, 
but did not succeed. When I came round, the leader 
complained to me, alleging that they were greatly 
annoyed by her disorderly conduct. I preached, 
then read the rules, then requested all to retire but 
the class, or such as desired to join the Church, and 
then closed the door, and proceeded to examine the 
class. I knew this lady was in, and sat near the door 
as usual. I asked the leader if there were any in but 
members. He answered, " Yes, there are three that 
are not members." I told him to take me to them 
first. He did so. The first was a man. I asked him 
his intention in staying in class meeting. He told 
me he wanted to serve God, and join the Church. 
" Yery well," said I. The next was a woman, whom 
I questioned, and who answered in the same way. 
While I was talking to her, my New Light got up 
and opened the door, and took her seat close by it. 
I approached her, and asked her what was her motive 
for staying in class meeting. 

She said she wanted to be with the people of 
God. y 

"Do you wish to join our Church?" 

" No, I do n't like the Methodists." 

"Madam, you ought not to violate our rules." 

" Indeed, I do not care a fig for your rules ; I have 
staid in class meetings many times, and will stay in 
when I please." 

" You must go out." 

" I will not, sir." 

" Then I will put you out.' 

"You can't do it," she replied, and sprung to her 
feetj and began to shout and clap her hands; and as 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 189 

she faced to the door, I took hold of her arms behind 
her shoulders, and moved her toward the door. She 
threw up her hands against the cheek of the door, 
and prevented me from putting her out. I saw a 
scuffle w^as to take place, and stooped down and gath- 
ered her in my right arm, and with my left hand 
jerked her hand from the cheek of the door, and lifted 
her up, and stepped out and set her on her feet. The 
moment I sat her down she began to jump and shout, 
saying, " You can't shut me out of heaven." I sternly 
ordered her to quit shouting; for, said I, you are not 
happy at all, you only shout because you are mad 
and the devil is in you. When she quit shouting, 
I said, " I knew you were not happy, for if God 
had made you happy I could not have stopped 
it ; but as it was the devil in you, I have soon 
stopped your shouting." I then stepped back and 
shut the door, and met my class standing against 
it; and we had a very good time, and effectually 
foiled our old New Light tormentor, and she never 
troubled me any more during my two years on this 
circuit. 

The Tennessee conference sat in Nashville, Octo- 
ber 1, 1818, when I was reappointed to Red River. 
Our increase this year, in the four western con- 
ferences, was five thousand, one hundred and sixty- 
four. Our increase of traveling preachers was only 
nine. 

At the Nashville conference an incident occur- 
red substantially, as well as my memory serves 
me, as follows: The preacher in charge had risen 
from very humble beginnings, but was now a 
popular, fashionable preacher. We talk about 
"Young America" these times; but Young America 
was as distinctly to be seen in those days, among 



lyO AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

our young flippant, populariti/seekmg preachers, as 
now. 

Brother Axley and myself, though not very old, 
were called old-fashioned felloivs ; and this popular 
young aspirant was afraid to appoint brother Axley or 
myself to preach at any popular hour for fear we would 
break on slavery, dress, or dram-drinking. But at 
length the old staid members and the young preach- 
ers began to complain that Axley and Cartwright 
were slighted, and an under-current of murmuring be- 
came pretty general. The city preacher had been 
selected to appoint the time and place where we 
were to preach. Brother Axley and myself had our 
own amusement. At length, on Saturday of the 
conference, this preacher announced that brother 
Axley would preach in the Methodist church on Sun- 
day morning at sunrise, thinking there would be but 
few out, and that he could do but little harm at that 
early hour. 

When we adjourned on Saturday afternoon, I ral- 
lied the boys to spread the appointment ; to rise early 
and get all out they could. The appointment circu- 
lated like wildfire, and sure enough, at sunrise the 
church was well filled. Brother Axley rose, sung, 
prayed, took his text: '' Be not conformed to this world, 
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds;" 
and if the Lord ever helped mortal man to preach, he 
surely helped brother Axley. First he poured the thun- 
ders of Sinai against the Egyptians, or slave oppress- 
ors ; next he showed that no moderate dram-drinker 
could enter heaven ; and then the grape-shot of truth 
rolled from his mouth against rings, ruffles, and all kind 
of ornamental dress. Dr. Bascom was sitting right be- 
fore him. He had a gold watch-chain and key, and two 
very large gold seals. The Rev. H. B. was so excited 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 191 

that unconsciously he took up one of the seals, and he 
began to plaj with the other seal with his right hand. 
Axley saw it, stopped suddenly, and very sternly said 
to him, "Put up that chain, and quit playing with 
those seals, and hear the word of the Lord." The 
claret rushed to the surface of his profile. 

The sermon went off admirably, and really it seem- 
ed as though a tornado had swept the ruffles and 
vails; and the old members of the Church shouted 
for joy. Having achieved another signal victory 
over error and pride, the ministers and ruling elders 
of other sister Churches had opened their pulpits, and 
invited us to preach to their people during conference. 
Among the rest, Dr. Blackbourn had opened his 
Church. Dr. Blackbourn was a strong, popular Pres- 
byterian minister. 

In the course of the Sabbath, the city preacher in- 
formed me that I was to preach on Monday evening 
in Dr. Blackbourn's Church, and charged me to be 
sure and behave myself. I made him my best bow, 
and thanked him that he had given me any appoint- 
ment at all ; and I assured him I would certainly behave 
myself the best I could. "And now," said I, "brother 
Mac, it really seems providential that you have ap- 
pointed me to preach in the Doctor's Church, for I 
expect they never heard Methodist doctrine fairly 
stated, and the dogmas of Calvinism exposed ; and 
now, sir, they shall hear the truth for once." Said the 
preacher, " You must not preach controversy." I re- 
plied, "If I live to preach there at all, I '11 give Calvin- 
ism one riddling." "Well," said the preacher, "I 
recall the appointment, and will send another preach- 
er there; and you must preach in the Methodist 
church Monday evening, and do try and behave your- 
self." "Very well," said I; "I'll do my best." 



192 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

. The preacher's conduct toward me was spread 
abroad, and excited considerable curiosity. Monday 
evening came ; the church was filled to overflowing ; 
every seat was crowded, and many had to stand. Af- 
ter singing and prayer, brother Mac took his seat in 
the pulpit. I then read my text : " What shall it prof- 
it a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own 
soul?" After reading my text I paused. At that mo- 
ment I saw General Jackson walking up the aisle ; he 
came to the middle post, and very gracefully leaned 
against it, and stood, as there were no vacant seats. 
Just then I felt some one pull my coat in the stand, 
and turning my head, my fastidious preacher whisper- 
ing a little loud, said: ^'General Jackson has come 
in ; General Jackson has come in." I felt a flash of 
indignation run all over me like an electric shock, 
and facing about to my congregation, and purposely 
speaking out audibly, I said, " Who is General Jack- 
son? If he don't get his soul converted, God will 
damn him as quick as he would a Guinea negro !" 

The preacher tucked his head down, and squatted 
low, and would, no doubt, have been thankful for leave 
of absence. The congregation. General Jackson and 
all, smiled or laughed right out, all at the preacher's 
expense. When the congregation was dismissed, my 
city-stationed preacher stepped up to me, and very 
sternly said to me : " You are the strangest man I ever 
saw, and General Jackson will chastise you for your 
insolence before you leave the city." " Very clear of 
it," said I, "for General Jackson, I have no doubt, will 
applaud my course; and if he should undertake to 
chastise me, as Paddy said, ' There is two as can play 
at that game.' " 

General Jackson was staying at one of the Nashville 
hotels. Next morning, very early, my city preacher 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 193 

went down to the hotel to make an apology to Gen- 
eral Jackson for my conduct in the pulpit the night 
before. Shortly after he had left I passed by the 
hotel, and I met the General on the pavement; and 
before I approached him by several steps he smiled, 
and reached out his hand and said : 

"Mr. Cartwright, you are a man after my own 
heart. I am very much surprised at Mr. Mac, to 
think he would suppose that I would be offended at 
you. No, sir; I told him that I highly approved of 
your independence; that a minister of Jesus Christ 
ought to love every body and fear no mortal man. 
I told Mr. Mac that if I had a few thousand such 
independent, fearless officers as you were, and a well- 
drilled army, I could take old England." 

General Jackson was certainly a very extraordi- 
nary man. He was, no doubt, in his prime of life, a 
very wicked man, but he always showed a great 
respect for the Christian religion, and the feelings of 
religious people, especially ministers of the Gospel. 
I will here relate a little incident that shows his re- 
spect for religion. 

I had preached one Sabbath near the Hermitage, 
and, in company with several gentlemen and ladies, 
went, by special invitation, to dine with the General. 
Among this company there was a young sprig of a 
lawyer from Nashville, of very ordinary intellect, 
and he was trying hard to make an infidel of himself. 
As I was the only preacher present, this young 
lawyer kept pushing his conversation on me, in order 
to get into an argument. I tried to evade an argu- 
ment, in the first place considering it a breach of 
good manners to interrupt the social conversation of 
the company. In the second place I plainly saw 
that his head was much softer than his heart, and 

17 



194 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

that there were no laurels to be won by vanquishing 
or demolishing such a combatant, and I persisted in 
evading an argument. This seemed to inspire the 
young man with more confidence in himself; for ray 
evasiveness he construed into fear. I saw General 
Jackson's eye strike fire, as he sat by and heard the 
thrusts he made at the Christian religion. At length 
the young lawyer asked me this question : 

"Mr. Cartwright, do you really believe there is 
any such place as hell, as a place of torment?" 

I answered promptly, " Yes, I do." 

To which he responded, "Well, I thank God I 
have too much good sense to believe any such 
thing." 

I was pondering in my own mind whether I would 
answer him or not, w^hen General Jackson for the 
first time broke into the conversation, and directing 
his words to the young man, said with great earnest- 
ness: 

"Well, sir, I thank God that there is such a place 
of torment as hell." 

This sudden answer, made with great earnest- 
ness, seemed to astonish the youngster, and he ex- 
claimed : 

" Why, General Jackson, what do you want with 
such a place of torment as hell?" 

To which the General replied, as quick as lightning, 
" To put such d d rascals as you are in, that op- 
pose and vilify the Christian religion." 

I tell you this was a poser. The young lawyer 
was struck dumb, and presently was found missing. 

In the fall of 1819 our Tennessee conference sat 
again in Nashville. This year the Minutes show an 
increase of members in the four western conferences 
of 5,085; of traveling preachers, 38; our whole 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 195 

membership in the west, 56,945; our traveling 
preachers, 194. Our Tennessee conference lay part- 
ly in Tennessee and partly in Kentucky. In Ken- 
tucky our rules of Discipline on slavery were pretty 
generally enforced, and especially on our preachers, 
traveling and local. Whenever a traveling preacher 
became the owner of a slave or slaves, he was re- 
quired to record a bill of emancipation, or pledge 
himself to do so ; otherwise he would forfeit his min- 
isterial office. And under no circumstances could a 
local preacher be ordained a deacon or an elder if he 
was a slaveholder, unless he gave the Church satis- 
factory assurances that he would emancipate at a 
proper time. In Tennessee some of our prominent 
preachers fell heir to slaves. They were unwilling 
to emancipate them, and they sought refuge in the 
plea of their disabilities, according to the law of the 
state. 

At this conference I complained of some of our 
strong preachers living in constant violation of the 
Discipline of the Church. They tried to make out a 
fair excuse, and to show that it was impracticable, 
according to the laws of the state, and I, in order to 
sustain my charges of violating the Discipline of the 
Church, had to show that they could at any time 
emancipate their slaves by becoming surety that 
their negroes, when emancipated, did not become a 
county charge. They employed a distinguished 
lawyer, F. Grundy, and I went to General Jackson 
for counsel. The case was fairly stated and explain- 
ed in open conference, and these preachers were re- 
quired to go to court and record a bill of emancipation. 

When the great southern secession took place in 
1844-45, Dr. Bascom wrote a pamphlet, and there 
represents the circumstance above alluded to as a 



196 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

great abolition move. Now there is nothing more 
foreign from the truth. Ultra abolition was not then 
known among us in the west; and if it was, we never 
meddled politically with slavery, but simply required 
our preachers and members to emancipate their slaves 
whenever it was practicable, according to the laws of 
the state in which they lived, and which permitted the 
liberated slaves to enjoy freedom. 

The discussion on the subject of slavery waked up 
some bad feeling, and as we had at this conference to 
elect our delegates to the General conference, which 
was to hold its session in Baltimore in May, 1820, 
these slaveholding preachers determined to form a 
ticket, and exclude every one of us who were for the 
Methodist Discipline as it was, and is to this day. 
As soon as ever we found out their plan we formed 
an opposite ticket, excluding all advocates of slavery, 
and, on the first ballot, we elected every man on our" 
ticket save one, and he was a young preacher who 
had only traveled six years. He and their strongest 
man tied in the vote. Of course, we had to ballot 
again, but on the second ballot we elected our man 
by a large majority. This triumph made the slavery 
party feel very sore. They then went to work and 
wrote a very slanderous pamphlet, in which they 
misrepresented us, and sent a copy of it to each 
member of the General conference. But they missed 
their mark, for instead of lowering us in the estima- 
tion of the members of the General conference, that 
body approved our course fully. 

It was at this General conference of 1820, in Bal- 
timore, that radicalism threatened to shake the foun- 
dations of the Church, but as I have freely spoken of 
these trying scenes to the Church elsewhere in this 
sketch, I forbear making any further remarks. At 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 197 

this General conference, the Kentucky conference 
was organized, which made five annual conferences 
out of the old Western conference, namely: 

1. Ohio conference, composed of the following 
presiding-elder districts : Ohio, Muskingum, Lancas- 
ter, Scioto, Lebanon, and Miami ; with a membership 
of thirty-four thousand, one hundred and seventy- 
eight, and eighty-seven traveling preachers. 

2. Missouri conference, with the following districts : 
Lidiana, Illinois, Cape Girardeau, and Arkansas ; with 
a membership of seven thousand, four hundred and 
fifty-eight, and thirty-nine traveling preachers. 

3. Kentucky conference, with five districts : Kana- 
wha, Kentucky, Salt River, Green River, and Cum- 
berland; with a membership of twenty-three thou- 
sand, seven hundred and twenty-three, and eighty- 
four traveling preachers. 

4. Tennessee, composed of Nashville, Tennessee, 
French Road, Holston, and Duck River districts; 
seventeen thousand, six hundred and thirty-three 
members, and fifty-one traveling preachers. 

5. Mississippi, with Louisiana, Mississippi, and Ala- 
bama districts ; four thousand, one hundrM and forty- 
seven members, and nineteen traveling preachers. 

Making, in 1820-21 our membership, eighty-seven 
thousand, one hundred and thirty-nine, and our trav- 
eling preachers two hundred and eighty. See what 
God has done for our "/ar west.'' From the time I 
had joined the traveling ranks in 1804 to 1820-21, a 
period of sixteen years, from thirty-two traveling 
preachers, we had increased to two hundred and 
eighty; and from eleven thousand, eight hundred and 
seventy-seven members, we had now over eighty- 
seven thousand ; and there was not a single literary 
man among those traveling preachers. 



198 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

In the fall of 1820 our conference sat in Hopkins- 
ville, Kentucky. I was reappointed to the Christian 
circuit, M. Lindsey presiding elder. About this time, 
owing to my having reprinted and circulated two 
small pamphlets, one called, ''The Dagon of Calvin- 
ism," and the other, " A Useful Discovery," both of 
them satires on Calvinism, some Presbyterian cler- 
gymen, judging me to be the author of these pam- 
phlets, and not being willing publicly to debate the 
points at issue between us, concluded to take satisfac- 
tion of me by writing me a letter in the name of the 
devil, complimenting me for promoting the interests 
of his Satanic majesty's kingdom, by spreading the 
Arminian doctrine. "Whereupon I wrote a rejoinder, 
and both these letters, the one to me and my answer, 
were published in pamphlet form, and created a con- 
siderable buzz for a while. Those clergymen called 
a council in order to answer me, but considering pru- 
dence the better part of valor, realizing that 

" He that lived to run away, 
Might live to fight another day," 

so they abandoned the project of answering me alto- 
gether. This was regretted by many of my friends, 
who wanted them to speak out in their own proper 
names, and not skulk behind the name of the devil 
to hide their errors or malice. And perhaps it was 
best that they did not answer back again. 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 199 



CHAPTER XVL 

THE MOUNTAIN PREACHER. 

I WILL now relate an incident or two that occur- 
red in 1820-24. 

Old father Walker, of excellent memory, and my- 
self, set out in the month of April, 1820, to the Gen- 
eral conference, in Baltimore, on horseback. We trav- 
eled hard all the week. Late on Saturday afternoon 
we came to the spurs of the Alleghany Mountains, 
and were within a few miles of the toll-gate, when a 
gentleman overtook us. We inquired of him if he 
knew of any quiet tavei-n on the road near by, where 
two weary travelers could rest over Sabbath, as we 
did not intend traveling on that day. He said there 
was no such house on the road for many miles ; but 
if we would turn off the road a mile or such a matter, 
he could take us to a good, quiet, religious family, 
where we could rest till Monday very comfortably; 
for he, being a local preacher, had an appointment 
next day. We thankfully consented to go with this 
local brother, and following him, we soon came to a 
poor but decent house and family and were made 
very welcome. The brother, on learning that we 
were preachers, insisted that we should preach for 
the people in the morning and evening, to which we 
consented. 

At eleven o'clock, brother Walker held forth. 
The people were all attention, but there was no ex- 
citement. At night I tried to preach, and although 



200 AUTOBIOGHAPHY OP 

I had profound attention from a cabinful of these mount- 
aineers, yet the preaching did not seem to have any 
effect whatever. When I closed, I called on our 
kind local preacher to conclude. He rose and began 
to sing a mountain song, and pat his foot, and clap 
his hands, and ever and anon would shout at the top 
of his speech, "Pray, brethren." In a few minutes 
the whole house was in an uproarious shout. When 
brother Walker and I got a chance to talk, I said : 
"Well, sir, I tell you this local preacher can do more 
in singing, clapping, and stamping, than all our 
preaching put together." 

"Verily," said Walker, "he must be a great man, 
and these are a great people living here in these poor 
dreary mountains." 

In passing on our journey going down the mount- 
ains, on Monday, we met several wagons and car- 
riages moving west. Shortly after we had passed 
them, I saw lying in the road a yery neat pocket- 
pistol. I picked it up, and found it heavily loaded 
and freshly primed. Supposing it to have been 
dropped by some of these movers, I said to brother 
Walker, " This looks providential ;" for the road across 
these mountains was, at this time, infested by many 
robbers, and several daring murders and robberies 
had lately been committed. Brother Walker's horse 
was a tolerably good one, but my horse was a stout, 
fleet, superior animal. As we approached the foot 
of the mountains, and were about tAvo miles from 
the public-house, where we intended to lodge that 
night, the sun just declining behind the western 
mountains, we overtook a man walking with a large 
stick as a walking cane, and he appeared to be very 
lame, and was limping along at a very slow rate. 
He spoke to us, and said he was traveling, and a 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 201 

poor cripple, and begged us to let him ride a little 
way, as lie was nearly given out, and was fearful he 
could not reach the tavern that night. 

Brother Walker said, *' yes," and was in the atti- 
tude of dismounting and letting him ride his horse. 
Just then a thought struck me that this fellow's lame- 
ness was feigned, and that it was not safe to trust 
him. I said to Walker, " Keep your horse ; we are a 
long way from home, have a long journey before us; 
under such circumstances, trust no man ; and we trot- 
ted on down the hill, and thought we had left our 
lame man more than a hundred yards behind. Walker 
was rather ahead of me. All at once my horse made 
a spring forward ; I turned to see what was the mat- 
ter, and lo and behold ! here was my lame man, within 
a few steps of me, coming as fleet as a deer. I grasped 
my pistol, which was in my overcoat pocket, cocked 
it, wheeled about, and rushed toward him ; he faced 
about, and in a few jumps more I should have been 
on him, but he plunged into the thick brush, and I 
could not follow him. When we got to the tavern the 
landlord said we had made a very fortunate escape, 
for these robbers in this way had decoyed and robbed 
several travelers lately. 

Brother Walker being the oldest man and rather 
infirm, we had agreed that he should conduct all relig- 
ious ceremonies, and that I should call for lodging, 
attend to horses, pay off bills, etc. When we had 
got down into Virginia some distance, we called one 
evening at a Mr. Baly's, who kept a tavern on the 
road ; his wife and daughters were very kind and 
clever, but the man of the house was a drunken Uni- 
vcrsalist. He was not sober when we called, but 
granted us the liberty to stay all night. While I was 
out seeing to the horses, brother Walker and the 



202 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

landlord got into a strong debate on tlie universal 
restoration plan. Brother Walker was very mild 
and easy in debate ; the landlord was abrupt and in- 
sulting, as well as very profane. I stood it a good 
while, but at length I got tired of it, and said to 
brother Walker that the way he debated was of no 
use, that it was casting pearls before swine. The old 
landlord, at this, let loose a volley of curses on me. 
I did not attempt any debate, but shook my brimstone 
wallet over him till he was sick and tired of it. The 
old lady and daughters were very much mortified at 
their husband and father. By this time it became 
proper that we should retire to bed. Brother Walker 
told the landlord that we were preachers, and asked 
leave to pray in the family before we went to bed. 
The landlord flatly denied us that privilege, and swore 
he would have none of our praying about him, saying 
he knew we only wanted to pray off our bill. Brother 
Walker mildly expostulated with him, and insisted 
on having the privilege to pray ; but all in vain. He 
said he would have no praying about his house. I 
then asked him if he did not keep a house of publixj 
entertainment. 

He replied, " Yes." 

*'Then," said I, ''do you not allow men to curse 
and swear, and get drunk in your house, if they pay 
for it?" 

He said, " Yes." 

" Well, then, we have as good a right to pray and 
serve God in your house, if we pay for it, as "they 
have to serve the devil and pay for it ; and I insist 
that we have our rights. We have plenty of money, 
and don't wish to pray off our bill." So said I to 
brother Walker, " Go to prayer, and if he cuts up any 
capers, I '11 down him, and hold him still till you are 



PETER CAKT WRIGHT. 203 

done praying ; for," said I, ^' ' the kingdom of heaven 
suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.' " 
So brother W. prayed, and I watched the old land- 
lord, who sat very quiet and looked sullen. After this 
we retired to bed, and his wife and daughter made 
many apologies for him, and hoped we would not be 
offended. I told them no, not at all ; that he was 
heartily welcome to all he had made of us. They 
laughed, and said they had never seen him so com- 
pletely used up before. 

In the morning we rose early ; our horses were fed, 
and breakfast on the table. We prayed and took our 
meal, the old man still in bed. I then asked the land- 
lady for our bill. She frankly said she would not 
have any thing ; that we were welcome to all we had 
from them, and invited us to call and stay with them 
as we returned. I insisted that she should receive 
pay ; "for you know," said I, " the old gentleman said 
we wanted to pray off our bill;" but she utterly re- 
fused. So we bade farewell, and went on our way 
rejoicing, for we had said our prayers and prayed off 
jpur bill in the bargain. 

On our return from the General conference in Bal- 
timore, in 1820, in the month of June, which was 
very warm, and we having to travel on horseback, it 
may be supposed that our journey in this way for a 
thousand miles was very fatiguing. When we got to 
Knoxville, East Tennessee, the following incident in 
substance occurred : 

Brother Walker and myself had started early in the 
morning, had traveled about twenty-five miles, and 
reached Knoxville at noon. We rode up to a tavern 
with a view of dining, but finding a great crowd of 
noisy, drinking, and drunken persons there, I said to 
brother Walker : " This is a poor place for weary travel- 



204 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ers, and we will not stop here." We tlien rode to 
another tavern, but it was worse than the first, for 
here thej were in a real bully fight. I then proposed 
to brother Walker that we should go on, and said we 
would soon find a house of private entertainment, 
where we could be quiet ; so on we went. Presently 
we came to a house with a sign over the door of 
ii Private Untertai7iment, and New Cider. '^ Said I, 
" Here 's the place ; and if we can get some good light 
bread and new cider, that's dinner enough for me.'' 

Brother Walker said : "• That is exactly ivhat Iwant^ 

We accordingly hailed. The old gentleman came 
out. I inquired if we could get our horses fed, and 
some light bread and new cider for dinner. 

" yes," said the landlord ; " alight, for I suspect 
you are two Methodist preachers, that have been to 
Baltimore, to the General conference." 

We replied we were. Our horses were quickly 
taken, and well fed. A large loaf of good light bread 
and a pitcher of new cider were quickly set before us. 
This gentleman was an Otterhein Methodist. His 
wife was very sick, and sent from the other room for 
us to pray for her. We did so, and then returned to 
take our bread and cider dinner. The weather was 
warm, and we were very thirsty, and began to lay in 
the bread and cider at a pretty liberal rate. It, how- 
ever, seemed to me that our cider was not only new 
cider, but something more, and I began to rein up my 
appetite. Brother Walker laid on liberally, and at 
length I said to him: "You had better stop, brother; 
for there is surely something more than cider liereP 

" I reckon not," said he. 

But as I was not in the habit of using spirits at all, I 
knew that a very little would keel me up, so I forbore; 
but with all my forbearance presently I began to feel 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 205 

light-headed. I instantly ordered our horses, fearing 
we were snapped for once. 

I called for our bill ; the old brother would have 
nothing. We mounted, and started on our journey. 
When we had rode about a mile, being in the rear, 
I saw brother Walker was nodding at a mighty rate. 
After riding on some distance in this way, I suddenly 
rode up to brother Walker and cried out, " Wake up I 
wake up !" He roused up, his eyes watering freely. 
"I believe," said I, "we are both drunk. Let us 
turn out of the road, and lie down and take n nap 
till we get sober." But we rode on without stopping. 
We were not drunk, but we both evidently felt it fly- 
ing into our heads ; and I have thought proper, in all 
candor, to name it with a view to put others on their 
guard. 

We journeyed on till we came to the Crab Orchard, 
where was kept a toll-gate. This gate was kept at 
this time by two very mean men ; they also kept a 
house of entertainment ; and, it being late, we con- 
cluded to tarry all night. The fare was very indiffer- 
ent. We asked the privilege to pray with them. It 
was granted, and we prayed with them night and 
morning ; took breakfast, and then asked our bill. 
The landlord told us, and I drew out my pocket-book, 
in which I had several hundred dollars in good cur- 
rent bank bills. He told me he would not take any 
of them ; he must have silver. I told him I had no 
silver, and no coin but a few cents. He very ab- 
ruptly swore he knew better; he knew I had the 
silver. I assured him again that I had no silver, but 
he persisted in swearing he knew I had, and that we 
could not leave or pass the toll-gate till we paid our 
bill of fare. Our horses were all ready to mount, and 
I had fresh loaded my pistol over night, for I did not 



206 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

like the signs about the house; and as I had a good 
deal of money in bills about me, I had determined I 
would not be robbed without leaving my mark. 
Brother Walker tried to reason the case with him, 
but to no purpose. I then threw down the amount 
of his charge, and told him he had to take that or 
nothing, and mounted my horse and started. He 
ordered one of his servants to shut and lock the toll 
gate, and not let me through. I spurred my horse, 
and was at the gate nearly as quick as his servant, 
and drew my horsewhip, and told the negro if he 
attempted to close the gate I would down him. The 
negro took fright, and let go the gate, and took to his 
heels for safety. The moment I passed through the 
gate I wheeled my horse, and called for brother 
Walker to come on ; I would bear him harmless. The 
landlord called for his pistols, swearing he would fol- 
low me. I told him to come on, and wheeled my 
horse, and started on my way independently. But 
he took the "second, sober thought," and declined 
pursuing me. This was to me a pretty trying and 
tempting circumstance, but I survived it. 

Shortly after this brother Walker left me to visit 
some of his old friends and relatives in West Tennes- 
see, and I journeyed on toward my home in Christian 
county, Kentucky. Saturday night came on, and 
found me in a strange region of country, and in the 
hills, knobs, and spurs of the Cumberland Mountains. 
I greatly desired to stop on the approaching Sabbath, 
and spend it with a Christian people; but I was now 
in a region of country where there was no Gospel 
minister for many miles around, and where, as I 
learned, many of the scattered population had never 
heard a Gospel sermon in all their lives, and where 
the inhabitants knew no Sabbath only to hunt and 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 207 

visit, drink and dance. Thus lonesome and pensive, 
late in the evening, I hailed at a tolerably-decent 
house, and the landlord kept entertainment. I rode 
up and asked for quarters. The gentleman said I 
could stay, but he was afraid I would not enjoy my- 
self very much as a traveler, inasmuch as they had 
a party meeting there that night to have a little dance. 
I inquired how far it was to a decent house of enter- 
tainment on the road; he said seven miles. I told him 
if he would treat me civilly and feed my horse well, 
by his leave I would stay. He assured me I should 
be treated civilly. I dismounted and went in. The 
people collected, a large company. I saw there was 
not much drinking going on. 

I quietly took my seat in one corner of the house, 
and the dance commenced. I sat quietly musing, a 
total stranger,, and greatly desired to preach to this 
people. Finally, I concluded to spend the next day — 
Sabbath — there, and ask the privilege to preach to 
them. I had hardly settled this point in my mind, 
when a beautiful, ruddy young lady walked very 
gracefully up to me, dropped a handsome courtesy, and 
pleasantly, with winning smiles, invited me out to 
take a dance with her. I can hardly describe my 
thoughts or feelings on that occasion. However, in 
a moment I resolved on a desperate experiment. I 
rose as gracefully as I could; I will not say with 
some emotion, but with many emotions. The young 
lady moved to my right side; I grasped her right 
hand with my right hand, while she leaned her left 
arm on mine. In this position we walked on the 
floor. The whole company seemed pleased at this 
act of politeness in the young lady, shown to a 
stranger. The colored man, who was the fiddler, 
began to put his fiddle in the best order. I then 



208 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

spoke to the fiddler to hold a moment, and added 
that for several years I had not undertaken any mat- 
ter of importance without first asking the blessing of 
God upon it, and I desired now to ask the blessing of 
God upon this beautiful young lady and the whole 
company, that had shown such an act of politeness to 
a total stranger. 

Here I grasped the young lady's hand tightly, and 
said, " Let us all kneel down and pray," and then in- 
stantly dropped on my knees, and commenced pray- 
ing with all the power of soul and body that I could 
command. The young lady tried to get loose from 
me, but I held her tight. Presently she fell on her 
knees. Some of the company kneeled, some stood, 
some fled,' some sat still, all looked curious. The 
fiddler ran off into the kitchen, saying, "Lord a 
marcy, what de matter? what is dat mean?" 

While I prayed some wept, and wept out aloud, 
and some cried for mercy. I rose from my knees and 
commenced an exhortation, after which I sang a 
hymn. The young lady who invited me on the floor 
lay prostrate, crying earnestly for mercy. I exhorted 
again, I sang and prayed nearly all night. About 
fifteen of that company professed religion, and our 
meeting lasted next day and next night, and as many 
more were powerfully converted. I organized a 
society, took thirty-two into the Church, and sent 
them a preacher. My landlord was appointed leader, 
which post he held for many years. This was the 
commencement of a great and glorious revival of re- 
ligion in that region of country, and several of the 
young men converted at this Methodist preacher 
dance became useful ministers of Jesus Christ. 

I recall this strange scene of my life with astonish- 
ment to this dav, and do not permit myself to reason 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 209 

on it much. In some conditions of society I should 
have failed; in others I should have been mobbed; 
in others I should have been considered a lunatic. 
So far as I did permit myself to reason on it at the 
time, my conclusions were something like these: 
These are a people not Gospel taught or hardened. 
They, at this early hour, have not drank to intoxica- 
tion, and they will at least be as much alarmed at 
me and my operations as I possibly can be at* theirs. 
If I fail, it is no disgrace ; if I succeed, it will be a 
fulfillment of a duty commanded, to be " instant in 
season and out of season." Surely, in all human wis- 
dom, it was out of season ; but I had, from some cause 
or other, a strong impression on my mind, from the 
beginning to the end of this affair — it is ended — that 
I should succeed by taking the devil at surprise, as he 
had often served me, and thereby be avenged of him 
for giving me so much trouble on my way to General 
conference and back thus far. 

The actions prompted by those sudden impressions 
to perform religious duty often succeed beyond all 
human calculation, and thereby inspire a confident 
belief in an immediate superintending agency of the 
divine Spirit of God. In this agency of the holy 
Spirit of God I have been a firm believer for more 
than fifty-four years, and I do firmly believe that if 
the ministers of the present day had more of the 
unction or baptismal fire of the Holy Ghost prompt- 
ing their ministerial efforts, we should succeed much 
better than we do, and be more successful in winning 
souls to Christ than we are. If those ministers, or 
young men that think they are called of God to min- 
ister in the word and doctrine of Jesus Christ, were 
to cultivate, by a holy life, a better knowledge of 
this supreme agency of the divine Spirit, and depend 

18 



210 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

less on the learned theological knowledge of Biblical 
institutes, it is my opinion they would do vastly more 
good than they are likely to do ; and I would humbly 
ask, Is not this the grand secret of the success of all 
early pioneer preachers, from John Wesley down to 
the present day? 

Now, I say, for one, who has been trying to preach 
in the wilderness for more than jBfty years, that I 
take no flattering unction to my soul from those who 
pretend to speak in such lofty terms of the old and 
early pioneers of Methodism, for in the very next 
breath they tell us that such preachers and preach- 
ing will not do now, and at one fell swoop sweep us, 
as with the besom of destruction, from the face of the 
earth. 

I am often reminded by the advocates of learned 
and theologically-trained preachers, of a circumstance 
that occurred years gone by in Kentucky, after the 
wilderness state of the country had passed away, and 
the people had grown up into improved life, and many 
of them had become wealthy. 

In the region alluded to there was a large and 
wealthy Presbyterian congregation, that, by growing 
tired of their old and early preacher, had become 
vacant. They sought a popular successor, one that 
was up with the improved and advanced state of the 
times. They finally, by the offer of a large call, or 
salary, succeeded in engaging a very pious young 
minister as their pastor. At his first appointment, 
he took for his text, "Repent ye, therefore, and 
be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, 
when the times of refreshing shall come from the 
presence of the Lord." Acts iii, 19. He preached 
an excellent sermon from this passage, in the judg- 
ment of the congregation, and they were very much 



PETEE CART WRIGHT. 211 

delighted. The next Sabbath rolled on. Their new 
pastor rose in the pulpit and took the same text, and 
delivered substantially the same sermon. This pro- 
duced a little whispering among their wise and know- 
ing elders; but they attributed it all to absence of 
thought. The third Sunday rolled on, and up rose 
the preacher, reading off the same text and preaching 
ihe same sermon. Well, the elders concluded that 
this was outrageous and insufferable, and that 
they must really talk to him and put a stop to this 
way of preaching. So they called on their young 
pastor, and tabled their complaints very feelingly 
before him, asking him if he really had but the one 
sermon. If so, they must call the congregation to- 
gether and dismiss him. To all of which the pastor 
responded, the Bible was full of good texts as the 
one he had preached from, and he had an abundance 
of good sermons ready; but he thought as the 
signs of this improved age, and state of society, re- 
quired an improved and advanced ministry, so did 
the advanced age require that the congregation 
should fully keep up with an improved ministry; 
'^ and," said the minister, '' do you really think the 
congregation has complied with the requirements of 
my sermon? If you think they have, and you shall 
be the judges, I am ready at all times to take another 
text and preach a new sermon." 

The elders, at that moment, were possessed of a 
dumb devil, and they never afterward called their 
minister to chide with him. As the old truths of the 
Gospel were behind the times, the Lord did signally 
own and bless the labors of this young minister, and 
made him a savor of life unto life to many of his 
hearers, giving ample evidence that he will own and 
bless his word. 



212 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

A few more incidents will close this chapter. It is 
very astonishing how easily and generally mankind 
fall into idle and sinful habits. I have often been as- 
tonished at the far-seeing wisdom of John Wesley. In 
the General Rules of his United Societies he interdicts 
dram-drinking ; and while the whole religious world, 
priests, preachers, and members, rushed into this de- 
moralizing practice, Mr. Wesley made desisting from 
dram-drinking a condition of membership in the 
Methodist societies ; and although the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, in her organization, as a wise provision 
in her General Rules, forbids dram-drinking, yet how 
often and how long did it remain a dead letter ! From 
my earliest recollection drinking drams, in family and 
social circles, was considered harmless and allowable 
socialities. It was almost universally the custom for 
preachers, in common with all others, to take drams; 
and if a man would not have it in his family, his 
harvest, his house-raisings, log-rollings, weddings, and 
so on, he was considered parsimonious and unsociable; 
and many, even professors of Christianity, would not 
help a man if he did not have spirits and treat the 
company. I recollect, at an early day, at a court 
time in Springfield, Tennessee, to have seen and heard 
a very popular Baptist preacher, who was evidently 
intoxicated, drink the health of the company in what 
he called the health the devil drank to a dead hog — • 
Boo ! I have often seen it carried and used freely at 
large baptizings, where the ordinance was administer- 
ed by immersion. 

In 1821, the last year I traveled the Christian circuit, 
I took in a preaching-place in a densely-populated 
settlement that was long destitute of the Gospel, and 
had many notorious drunkards in it. Here the Lord 
owned and blessed my labors ; religion spread through 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 213 

the settlement. Among the rest there was one inter- 
esting family; the man was a drunkard; the family 
became deeply interested about religion and joined 
the Church, and were remarkably friendly to me; 
the old man was also very friendly. On a certain 
occasion I met him in a store in Hopkinsville, and — 
although I was never intoxicated but once in my life, 
yet I had wholly abandoned the social glass, for, ac- 
cording to my best conviction, it was a bad and dan- 
gerous habit, and that the rules of the Methodist 
Church required it — this drinking gentleman called 
for some cherry-bounce, and sweetened it for me ex- 
pressly, out of pure love to me, as he said, and then 
invited me to drink with him. I declined. He urged 
me. I refused. I told him I had wholly given up 
the practice. Nothing would satisfy him ; he said, if 
I did not drink with him, I was no friend of his or 
his family, and he would never hear me preach again. 
I told him that it was all in vain to urge me ; my prin- 
ciples were fixed, and that I would not violate my 
principles for the friendship of any man or mortal. 
He flew into a violent rage, and cursed and abused mc. 
I walked oif and left him in his glory. He never for- 
gave me, I suppose, and made his family leave the 
Church, and would not let them come to hear me 
preach, and he lived and died a drunkard. 

In 1824 Jesse Walker, Samuel H. Thompson, 
F. S., and myself were elected delegates to the 
General conference at Baltimore ; the first three from 
Missouri, myself from Kentucky. We started on 
horseback, and traveled together. Two of the com- 
pany would call for spirits when we staid at public 
houses. Brother Thompson and myself would not 
drink spirits at all. We made it a rule to pray in 
families wherever we staid, if it was agreeable. I 



214 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

felt hurt that two Methodist preachers, delegates to 
the General conference, and our traveling companions, 
would call for and drink spirits in those public houses. 
Thompson and myself remonstrated with them. They 
defended the practice. I told them at length that if 
they did not quit the practice I would not travel with 
them, and in this Thompson joined me. Brother 
Walker was a good man, and for our sakes he agreed 
to, and did quit it altogether, and we got along much 
better. 

In the fall of 1821 our conference was held in Lex- 
ington, Kentucky, and I was appointed, by Bishop 
M'Kendree, to Cumberland district, containing the 
following appointments, namely : Green River, Somer- 
set, Wayne, Roaring River, Goose Creek, Fountain 
Head, Barren, and Bowling Green circuits; it lay 
partly in Kentucky and partly in Tennessee, and was 
a large and populous district, containing between five 
and six thousand members, many of whom had grown 
wealthy; there was also a great number of talented 
local preachers. 

On my first round of quarterly meetings — I was 
on my way to Somerset circuit, had rode, on Friday, 
about fifty miles, and my horse and myself were 
both very much tired — I called at several houses on 
the public highway, and asked to stay all night, but 
was denied. About dusk I hailed another house, and 
asked leave to stay. The man said I could not stay. 
I inquired how far to the next house where he thought 
they would take me in. He said, ^' Seven miles." 
Said I, "My dear sir, I have rode to-day fifty miles, 
and I can not go seven more. If you will give me a 
fagot of fire, I will camp out rather than go any 
further." 

He stepped into a little kitchen hard by for the fire, 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 215 

and I heard his old lady say to her husband, " You 
had better let that man stay. If he gets the fire he 
will burn up the barn because you turned him oiF." 
And as she spoke out loud, I replied, equally as loud, 
" Yes, you had better let me stay; if you do n't, some 
mischief will befall you before morning." 

He threw down his chunk of fire, and said, '^ Well, 
I suppose you must stay.^' 

Down I got, stepped to the kitchen door, and said, 
"Good lady, will you give me supper quick? for I 
could get no dinner on the road to-day." 

" yes," said the old lady. 

My horse put up, my supper eaten, I felt much 
better. Presently I began to inquire about religion 
and religious denominations. I soon found out that 
the old gentleman and old lady were real high-toned 
predestinarian Baptists. The old gentleman informed 
me that, a few miles off, most all the people were 
Methodists, and that he was really afraid they would 
take the country, and that they had a quarterly meet- 
ing the next day — Saturday — a few miles from there. 

Said I, " A quarterly meeting ; what sort of a meet- 
ing is that?" He did not know, he replied. 

Said I, " What did you call the name of this relig- 
ious sect?" 

Said he, " Methodist." 

"Methodist," said I; "what's that? What sort 
of people are they ?" 

" Ah," said he, " they are the strangest people you 
ever saw ; they shout and halloo so loud you may hear 
them for miles; they hold that all will be saved, and 
a man can live without sin in this life, and yet that 
a Christian can fall from grace ; and all this," said he, 
"is not half; they are the worst people you ever saw. 
They had a camp meeting just over here last year, 



216 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

and they had a tent they called the preachers' tent, 
and there, by night and day, the preachers carried on 
all sorts of wickedness ; and," said he, "they are beg- 
ging and taking all the money out of the country." 

" Mercy defend us !" I exclaimed ; " why do n't you 
raise a company and drive them out of the country?" 

" 0," said he, '^ they are too strong for us ; if we 
w^ere able to drive them they should soon go, you may 
depend." 

Said I, " What a wretched set they must be ; but it 
may be they are misrepresented, and are not as bad 
as you say." 

" No, sir," said he ; "I was there at the camp meet- 
ing, and their bad conduct I saw with my own eyes." 

"Well," said I, "if these things be so, it is too bad 
for a civilized country." By this time they thought 
that it was near bedtime, and he saidj " If you wish 
to lie down, there is a bed." 

"But," said I, "my friend, I learn you are a pro- 
fessor of religion, and religious people ought always 
to pray with their families. I am a friend to religion, 
and hope you will pray with us before we go to bed." 

"Ah," said he, "I am a poor weak creature, and 
can't pray in my family." 

" !" said I, "you must certainly pray for us ; you 
ought to pray for the benefit of these interesting chil- 
dren of yours." 

" No," said he, "I can't do it." 

"Well, sir," said I, "we must have prayers before 
we lie down, and I am a weak creature, too ; but if 
you will not pray, may I ?" 

"Do as you please," said he. 

So I read a chapter, rose, gave out a hymn, and 
commenced singing. There were two young ladies 
present, one a daughter, the other a niece, of the old 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 217 

man; they both rose and sung with me. Finally, I 
knelt down, and so did the girls; I prayed, but the 
old man and old lady kept their seats all the time. 
In prayer I told the Lord what a poor weak old man 
lived there, and asked the Lord to give him strength 
and grace to set a better example before his family. I 
also prayed the Lord to have mercy on those deluded 
Methodists, if they were half as bad as my old friend 
had represented them ; but if he had misrepresented 
them, to forgive him, and prosper them. As soon as 
prayer was over the old gentleman and lady went into 
the kitchen, and the niece said to me, " You need not 
believe a word uncle has said about the Methodists, 
and the doings at their camp meeting, for I was there, 
and they are a good people, and my uncle is preju- 
diced." His daughter said the same. Presently I 
stepped out at the door, and I heard the old lady say 
to her husband, "He is a Methodist preacher." 

The old man said, "N^o, he is not." 

"Well," said she, "he is, and you have done it 
now." 

The old man said, " I do n't care if he is ; it 's good 
enough for him." 

Shortly after this I retired to bed, and the two 
young ladies began to sing some of the Methodist 
camp meeting songs, and really they sang delightfully, 
I rose early next morning, and went on to my quar- 
terly meeting, and we had a real good one. 

I will just say here, in this connection, the next 
summer I held a large and splendid camp meeting on 
the ground where this old gentleman had told me there 
was such bad conduct, and he and his family were 
out; and right in their presence I told the congrega- 
tion what this man had said about them to me. The 
old man could not face it, and slunk oiF and went 

19 



218 AUTOBIOGKAPHYOF 

home. His daughter and niece both were powerfully 
converted, and joined the Methodist Church. 

When I got over on the southern part of my district, 
the summer following, to a camp meeting in the Roar- 
ing River circuit, having been detained a little by 
affliction in my family, and not being able to reach 
my camp meeting till Sunday, brother Simon Carlisle 
was in the stand preaching. He was a real Boanerges, 
an able and successful ISTew Testament preacher. The 
congregation was large and very disorderly. Brother 
Carlisle reproved them sharply, but they behaved very 
rudely. When he closed, I rose to preach, but the con- 
gregation was so disorderly that I found it would be 
very difficult for me to proceed ; so at length I told the 
vast crowd if they would give me their attention a few 
moments, I would relate an incident or two worthy 
of their attention. I commenced by relating several 
short anecdotes. They began to draw up nearer, and 
nearer still; the anecdotes were well calculated to 
excite their risibilities. Right before me sat an old, 
gray -headed man, with straight-breasted coat; he did 
not like the laughter that my anecdotes produced, and 
he spoke out loudly to me and said, "Make us cry — 
make us cry; don't make us laugh." 

As quick as thought I replied to him thus : 

" I do n't hold the puckering strings of your mouths, 
and I want you to take the negro's eleventh command- 
ment; that is, every man mind his own business." 

"Yes, sir; yes, sir," said the old man, and sank 
down perfectly still. 

This produced considerable mirth in the congrega- 
tion, but by this time the vast crowd had gathered 
up as close as they well could, and were all eyes and 
ears. I then announced my text: "To the unknown 
God, whom ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 219 

you." And for two hours I held listening thousands 
spell-bound, while, to the very best of my abilities, I 
defended the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ, and 
riddled Arianism as best I could. Arianism was rife 
through all that country, although they called them- 
selves " Christians," and were called by the world, New 
Lights, Marshallites, or Stoneites. (These were two 
leading Presbyterian ministers, that in the time of a 
great revival in Kentucky, were disowned by the 
Synod of Kentucky. They headed the New Light 
party, and gratuitously assumed the name of Chris- 
tian, yet they evidently imbibed the Arian sentiment, 
and spread their errors, and did great mischief in cor- 
rupting the Scriptural doctrine of the true divinity of 
Jesus Christ.) The two Baptist preachers that would 
not receive me into the Baptist Church without re- 
baptizing, in Stogden's Valley, at an early day, else- 
where stated in this narrative, were present on this 
occasion. The circumstance of that encounter was 
one of the incidents that I had just related to gain 
audience with the people, and the old man with straight 
coat that bade me make them cry and not laugh, 
whom I had taken to be a Methodist from his straight 
coat, proved to be an old Baptist man that had long 
been in the habit of speaking out to the preachers 
in time of preaching ; but, alas for these Baptist 
preachers ! they, with many more of their co-laboring 
ministerial brethren, had been carried off into the 
whirlpool of Arianism. While I was preaching, I 
not only gained audience, but there was solemn 
silence and profound attention ; for, by the blessing of 
God, I succeeded in interesting the whole congrega- 
tion in the sublime subject under discussion. And 
when I came to show that if Jesus Christ was not the 
supreme God, that all heaven and earth was filled 



220 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

with idolatrous devotions, and that angels and men, 
and redeemed spirits had been, were now, and eter- 
nally would be, nothing more or less than gross 
idolaters : ^' Now," said I, " if there is a single man, 
minister, woman, or child, in this assembly, that 
will dare to ascribe divine honors to Jesus Christ and 
not believe in his supreme divinity, let them show it 
by raising their hand." 

I then paused, but not one hand went up. It was 
an awful solemn time ; every soul seemed to feel that 
the supreme Divinity brooded over the assembly, I 
then said, I wanted one more triumphant testimony 
of our holy religion that should overwhelm all the 
legions of devils that rose from the stagnant pools 
of Arianism, Unitarianism, and Socinianism. I then 
desired that every one in that vast crowd that believed 
that Jesus Christ was justly entitled to supreme 
honor and glory, and expected to get to heaven 
through his merits alone, to give me the sign by rais- 
ing their right hand ; the hands went up by the thou- 
sand, and with hands, triumphant shouts of glory 
ascended by hundreds, and many sinners were seen 
with streaming eyes, and even exulting shouts, giving 
glory to Jesus Christ. The vast multitude fell almost 
in every direction, and I sat down under a deep 
sense that God was there. Mourners were found all 
through the crowd, to be numbered by the hundred. 
Many of the Arians recanted ; and after the legions 
that had distracted them for years were cast out, 
came to their right minds, were clothed, and once 
more esteemed it their highest honor to sit at the feet 
of Jesus Christ. There was no more preaching for that 
day and the next. The cries of the penitents, and 
shouts of the young converts and the old professors, 
went up without intermission, day and night. Two 



PETER CART AV RIGHT. 221 

hundred professed religion, and one hundred and 
seventy joined the Methodist Episcopal Church be- 
fore the close of the camp meeting, and it was 
remarked by many, that it seemed the easiest thing 
for sinners to get religion here of any place or time 
they ever saw, and they could not account for it; 
but I told them that it was plain to me the Lord had 
given marching orders to the legions of little Arian 
devils to the lake, as he had done to the swine in the 
days of old, and when these were cast out it was quite 
easy to come to their right minds. Perhaps there 
never was a more manifest display of God's saving 
mercy on a small scale than on the present occasion, 
since the confounding of tongues at the building of 
the tower of Babel. Many Arians returned to their 
old folds, perfectly tired of their wanderings, and hav- 
ing cast anchor once more in a safe harbor, they gave 
their wanderings o'er. Those that remained among 
the NcAY Lights so called, split into many factions, and 
fought each other till they ate each other up all to 
the tail, and that was immersion. This remains, and 
perhaps will, till the millennial glory shall inun- 
date the whole world. A remarkable incident oc- 
curred on this occasion which I must not omit re- 
lating. 

There was a very confirmed Arian lady in the 
congregation who denied the supreme divinity of 
Jesus Christ. Late on Monday, she professed to get 
very happy, and shouted out aloud; but said, while 
shouting, among other things, she knew I was wrong 
in my views of Jesus Christ, but she desired some 
one to go and bring me to her, for she wanted to 
show me, that though I was in error, she could 
love her enemies and do good for evil. At first I 
refused to go; but she sent again. I then thought of 



222 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

the unjust judge, and lest by her continual coming 

she might weary me, I went. 

She told me she knew I was wrong, and that she 

was right, and that God had blessed her and made 

her happy. 

Said I, ^'Sister, while I was preaching, did you not 

get mad?" 

She answered, "Yes, very mad; I could have cut 

your throat. But I am not mad now, and love you, 

and God has blessed me." 

Said I, "I fear you are not happy; you have only 

got in a little better humor, and think this is happi- 
ness. But we will test this matter. Let us kneel 

down here, and pray to God to mak© it manifest who 

is wrong." 

"But," said she, "I do n't want to pray; I want to 

talk." 

"Well," said I, "I have no desire to talk; I always 

go to God in prayer ; and I now believe God, in an- 
swer to prayer, will recover you out of the snare of 
the devil, for you certainly are not happy at all." 

So I called upon all around — and they were many — 
to kneel down and help me to pray God to dislodge 
the lingering Arian devil that still claimed a resi- 
dence in this woman's heart. We knelt, and by the 
score united in wrestling, mighty prayer; and while' 
we prayed it seemed that the bending heavens came 
near; and if the power of God was ever felt among 
mortals, it was felt then and there. The woman lost 
her assumed good feelings, and sunk down into sullen, 
dumb silence, and so she remained during the meet- 
ing ; and for weeks afterward many of her friends 
feared she would totally lose her balance of mind. 
She became incapable of her business till one night 
she had a dream or vision, in which she afterward 



PETER-K) ART WRIGHT. 223 

declared she saw her Savior, apparently in all his 
supreme glory, and he told her she was wrong, but he 
frankly forgave her ; and when she came to herself, 
or awoke, she was unspeakably happy, and never 
afterward, for one moment, doubted the supreme di- 
vinity of Jesus Christ. She joined the Methodists, 
and lived and died a shining and shouting Christian. 

There is another circumstance I wish to state be- 
fore I close this chapter. 

The brother, Simon Carlisle, before mentioned, had 
been a regular circuit preacher, somewhere down 
south, and there was a wealthy family at or near 
one of his appointments. The old gentleman and 
lady were members of the Church ; but they had a 
very profligate son, who behaved disorderly at one of 
Carlisle's appointments, and Carlisle sharply reproved 
him for his disorderly conduct, at which the young 
man took great umbrage, and swore he would have 
satisfaction out of Carlisle. The house of the father 
of this young man was the preacher's home. When 
Carlisle came round next time, he was as usual invited 
by this old brother home with him. Brother Carlisle 
said, as he had oifended his son, perhaps he had bet- 
ter not go; but the old brother and sister insisted he 
should go ; for they knew their son was to blame alto- 
gether, and that Carlisle had done nothing but his 
duty in reproving him ; so he went. This young man 
"was at home, but slunk about, and would not be 
social with Carlisle ; and next morning, while Car- 
lisle was fixing his horse to ride on to his next ap- 
pointment, he took a brace of pistols, and slipped 
into the room where Carlisle's saddle-bags were lying, 
and put those pistols in the bottom of his saddle-bags, 
unperceived and unsuspected by Carlisle, or any body 
else. Shortly after Carlisle started, the young man 



224 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

pretended to miss his pistols, and declared lie knew 
that Carlisle had stolen them. The old people remon- 
strated against any such imputation ; but he persisted 
in affirming he knew that the preacher had stolen his 
pistols, and off he started, got a writ and an officer, 
and pursued Carlisle, and before he reached his next 
appointment they overtook him. The officer informed 
him of the allegation, and that he had a writ for him, 
and that he was his prisoner. Carlisle, conscious of 
his innocence, told the officer that he was welcome to 
search him, and handed over his saddle-bags, when, 
lo and behold ! there were the pistols at the bottom 
of them. What could he say? He protested his 
innocence, but submitted to the law, was found guilty, 
and only escaped being incarcerated in prison by the 
father of this mean young man going his bail till 
further trial. 

We will not narrate the trouble and cost Carlisle 
was put to before he got clear of this malicious prose- 
cution. Suffice it to say, during the pendency of this 
prosecution, the annual conference came on, and Car- 
lisle had to answer to this criminal charge ; but what 
could he say ? He had no evidence of his innocence, 
and by possibility could have none. The conference 
did not believe him guilty, but his guilt was sworn to 
by this young man. In this dilemma into which the 
conference was thrown, Carlisle rose and requested 
the conference, for the honor of the cause of God, 
that they would expel him till God should, in some 
way, vindicate his innocence. He affirmed he was 
innocent, and that he believed God would shortly 
make his innocence manifest to all. 

The conference very reluctantly, and by a bare 
majority, expelled him. Able counsel, believing in 
his innocence, volunteered in his defense. tHe was 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 225 

cleared. Believing it to be his duty and privilege, lie 
married, and when I saw him he had an interesting 
rising family. The Church restored him to his former 
standing, offered him a circuit, but for the present he 
declined traveling, and went to work to support his 
family, and did it with credit to himself and them. 

But the circumstance that triumphantly vindicated 
his innocence remains yet to be told. The young 
man who pursued him so maliciously, in about nine 
months after Carlisle was arrested, was taken down 
with a fever common to that region of country. The 
best medical aid was called in ; he was faithfully at- 
tended and administered unto. His parents were 
much alarmed for his safety and his salvation. He 
was talked to and prayed with, but to no purpose. 
His physicians told him he must die. He then said 
he could not die till he disclosed one important mat- 
ter. His parents were called in, and he frankly told 
them and others that he put his pistols in Carlisle's 
saddle-bags himself; and shortly after the disclosure 
he expired, without hope of mercy. 



226 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER XVII. 

SERMON ON BAPTISM AT CAMP MEETING. 

There was, in the bounds of the Goose Creek cir- 
cuit, a Baptist minister, who was a tolerably smart 
man, and a great proselyter from other Churches, 
and who almost always was harping on immersion as 
the only mode of Christian baptism, and ridiculing 
what he called "baby sprinkling." We had an ap- 
pointment for a camp meeting in this circuit, in what 
was called Poplar Grove. There was a fine little 
widow woman, a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, lived here; and this Baptist preacher tried 
his best to proselyte her, and make a Baptist of her. 
She at length got tired of his water talk, and told 
him if he would come to the camp meeting, and 
patiently hear the presiding elder, Peter Cartwright, 
preach one sermon on baptism, on Sunday, she would 
give him a new suit of clothes, out and out. He 
agreed to it; but he was to sit patiently, and hear 
the sermon through ; if he did not, then he was not to 
have the suit of clothes. 

When I got to the camp-ground, my little spunky 
Methodist widow w^as tented on the ground. She 
came and invited me to her tent, and then told me 
the proposition she had made to Mr. W., the Baptist 
preacher. " And now," said she, "do your best; if 
he runs, the suit of clothes is yours ; and if he stands 
his ground, and you do your very best, you shall have 
as good a suit, any how." 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 227 

This was a very large encampment, well arranged; 
and there were about twenty strong, talented Methodist 
preachers, from the traveling and local ranks, present. 
The meeting commenced and progressed with great 
interest, and there were many melting Gospel sermons 
preached. Many sinners were awakened and con- 
verted, both among the whites and colored people. 
Sunday morning came, and my Baptist preacher ar- 
rived; and we were soon made acquainted. He pro- 
posed that he, if he felt like it, should have the priv- 
ilege of replying to me. "Certainly," said I, "with 
all my heart." 

Eleven o'clock arrived, the hour appointed me to 
commence my sermon on baptism. It was supposed 
that there were ten thousand people on the ground. 
My heart rather quailed within me, but I prayed for 
light, a ready mind, and success. I took no text in 
particular, but submitted the four following proposi- 
tions for discussion : 

First. The design and intent of water baptism. 

Second. Who were the Divinely-appointed adminis- 
trators of water baptism. 

Third. The proper mode of water baptism 

Fourth. Who were the qualified subjects of bap- 
tism. 

My Baptist minister took his seat in the altar, in 
front of me. He listened with tolerable attention 
while I was on the first and second propositions. As 
I approached the third point, the galled jade winced 
a little ; but when I came to the fourth point, and 
took my position that all infants had the first and 
only indisputable title to baptism, and that all adults 
must become converted, and be like little children, 
before they could claim any valid title to water bap- 
tism, my preacher became very restive. Finally, I 



228 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

propounded this question: "Is not that Church 
which has no children in it more like hell than 
heaven?" I then added, "If all hell was searched, 
there would not be a single child found in it ; but all 
children are in heaven ; therefore, there being no chil- 
dren in the Baptist Church, it was more like hell than 
heaven." 

The Baptist preacher here rose to his feet and 
started. I called out to him to stop and hear me out ; 
but he replied he could not stand it, and kept on and 
cleared the ground ; so he lost his suit of clothes, and 
I gained one. But what was much better than all 
this, I was listened to for three hours ; and the attention 
of the multitude seemed not to falter, but they heard 
with profound interest, and it was the opinion of hun- 
dreds that this discussion did a vast amount of good. 

Our camp meeting progressed with increasing in- 
terest; many were awakened, and about forty were 
converted and added to the Church. 

In the course of the summer of 1822 we held a 
camp meeting in Logan county, Kentucky, the county 
in which I was chiefly raised. At this meeting there 
came a strange kind of preacher among us, who held 
that a Christian could live so holy in this life, that he 
would never die, but become all immortal, soul, body, 
and all. He seemed like a good, innocent, ignorant 
kind of creature. He asked of me the liberty to 
preach ; but I told him that was altogether out of the 
question ; that, as the manager of the meeting, I felt 
myself accountable to the people as well as to the 
Lord, for the doctrines advanced from the stand. 

One night while I was outside of the encampment 
settling some rowdies, he thought, I suppose, he would 
flatter my vanity a little ; and stepping up to me, he 
told me he had a heavenly message for me. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 229 

"Well," said I, "what is it?" 

He said it had just been revealed to him that I was 
never to die, but to live forever. 

" Well," said I, " who revealed that to you ?" 

He said, " An angel." 

"Did you see him ?" I asked. 

" yes," was the reply ; " he was a white, beauti- 
ful, shining being." 

"Well," said I, " did you smell him?' 

This stumped him, and he said he did not under- 
stand me. 

"Well," said I, "did the angel you saw smell of 
brimstone?" He paused, and I added, "He must 
have smelled of brimstone, for he was from a region 
that burns with fire and brimstone, and consequently 
from hell; for he revealed a great lie to you, if he 
told you I was to live forever !" 

At this he slipped off, and never gave me any more 
trouble during the meeting. 

There were a great many people in attendance at 
this meeting, and among the rest, some youngsters 
who called themselves gentlemen; some from the 
country, and some from Russellville. These fellows 
would occupy the seats we had prepared for the 
ladies. I announced from the stand that the gentle- 
men and ladies were to sit apart, and requested every 
gentleman to remove to the seats on the left, prepared 
for them. 

There were some twenty who did not move. Said 
I, "We request every gentleman to retire from the 
ladies' seats, that I may see how many country 
clowns and town fops there are, for these will not 
move!" All then left but five, and I began to 
count them; they then left in a hurry, but were 
very angry. 



230 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Among them was a young sprig of the bar, the son 
of a Major L. He was in a mighty pet, and told his 
father, who happened not to be present. His father 
and I dined together that day at a friend's house. He 
brought up the subject, and said I was wrong ; that 
many young men did not know any better ; and that 
he thought hard of me for exposing his son. 

Said I, " Major, do you not believe if a company 
of Shawnee Indians were to come into one of our re- 
ligious assemblies, and see all the women seated on 
one side and most of the men on the other side, that 
they would have sense and manners enough to take 
their seats on the men's side ?" 

He answered me abruptly, " No ; I do n't believe 
they would." 

" Well," said I, " it is my opinion they would, and 
that they have more manners than many of the pre- 
tended young gentlemen of the day." 

He flew into a violent passion, and said if we were 
not in the presence of ladies he would abuse me. I told 
him if he thought to abuse and frighten me from doing 
my duty in keeping order in the congregation, he was 
very much mistaken, and I would thank him to mind 
his own business, and I would most assuredly attend 
to mine. Here the subject dropped for the present. I 
returned to the camp-ground. Presently he sent for 
me to talk the matter over. I told the messenger^ 
brother Cash, a local preacher, that I should not go, 
for the Major was very irritable, and only wanted to 
insult and abuse me, and that I was not of a mind to 
take abuse. I did not go. Presently brother Cash 
returned, and said that the Major pledged his word 
and honor that he would not insult me, but that he 
wanted to talk the matter over in a friendly way. 

I then consented, and went to him with brother 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 231 

Cash, and we had passed but a few words when he 
commenced a tirade of abuse. Brother Cash tried to 
check him, but he woukl not be stopped. I then 
told him that he had forfeited his word and honor, 
and therefore was beneath my notice, and turned off. 
He flew into a desperate rage, and said if he thought 
I would fight him a duel he would challenge me. 

^' Major," said I, very calmly, "if you challenge me 
I will accept it." 

"Well, sir," said he, "I do dare you to mortal 
combat." 

"Very well, I'll fight you; and, sir," said I, "ac- 
cording to the laws of honor, I suppose it my right 
to choose the weapons with which we are to fight ?" 

" Certainly," said he. 

"Well," said I, "then we will step over here into 
this lot, and get a couple of cornstalks ; I think I can 
finish you with one." 

But 0, what a rage he got into ! He clinched his 
fists and looked vengeance. Said he, "If I thought I 
could whip you I would smite you in a moment." 

"Yes, yes. Major L.," said I, "but, thank God, you 
can't whip me ; but do n't you attempt to strike me, 
for if you do, and the devil gets out of you into me, 
I shall give you the worst whipping you ever got in 
all your life," and then walked ofi" and left him. 

His wife was a good. Christian woman, and the fam- 
ily was tented on the ground. At night, after meet- 
ing was closed, I retired to bed, and about midnight 
there came a messenger for me to go to Major L.'s tent 
and pray for him, for he was dying. Said I, " What is 
the matter with him?" 

" 0, he says he has insulted you, one of God's min- 
isters, and if you do n't come and pray for him, he will 
die and go to hell." 



232 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

"Well," said I, " if that's all, the Lord increase his 
pains. I shall not go ; let him take a grand sweat ; it 
■will do him good, for he has legions of evil spirits in 
him, and it will be a long time before they are all 
cast out." 

I did not go nigh him at that time. After an hour 
or two he sent for me again. I still refused to go. 
By this time he got into a perfect agony; he roared 
and prayed till he could be heard all over the camp- 
ground. Presently his wife came and entreated me, 
for her sake, to go and pray for and talk to the Major. 
So I concluded to go, and when I got into the tent, 
there he was lying at full length in the straw, and 
praying at a mighty rate. I went to him and said, 

"Major, what is the matter?" 

" !" said he, " matter enough ; I have added to 
my ten thousand sins another heinous one of insulting 
and abusing you, a minister of Jesus Christ, for labor- 
ing to keep order and do good. will you, can you, 
forgive me ?" 

"Yes, Major, I can and do forgive you; but remem- 
ber, you must have forgiveness from God, or you are 
lost and ruined forever." 

"Can you possibly forgive me," said he, "so far as 
to pray for me ? if you can, do pray for me, before I 
am swallowed up in hell forever." 

I prayed for him, and called on several others to 
pray for him. He continued in great distress all the 
next day, and some time the following night it pleased 
God to give him relief, and he professed comfort in 
believing. 

This case plainly shows how the devil often over- 
shoots his mark ; but, perhaps, it more clearly shows 
how God, in his infinite goodness and mercy, makes 
the wrath of man to praise him. It seems to me that 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 233 

at least a legion of very dirty little devils were cast 
out of Major L. 

We had a very interesting quarterly meeting the 
past spring in Russellville, and a considerable number 
in the higher and wealthier walks of life, especially 
among the ladies, gave signs of repentance, and a 
disposition to devote themselves to a religious life. I 
had given them a special and pressing invitation to 
attend our camp meeting, and accordingly they came, 
and there was a glorious work going on in the con- 
gregation from time to time. Many came to the 
altar as penitents, and sought and found mercy of the 
Lord. And although these wealthy ladies would weep 
under the word, yet we could not get them to the 
altar, and I was afraid it was pride that kept them 
back, and frankly told them so, assuring them, if 
this was the case, they need not expect to obtain 
religion. 

They told me that it was not pride that kept them 
away, but that the altar was so crowded not only with 
mourners, but idle professors and idle spectators, and 
that in many instances the mourners were uncere- 
moniously trodden on and abused, and the weather 
being very warm, the mourners in the altar must be 
nearly suffocated. These were the reasons why they 
did not come into the altar as seekers, and not pride ; 
and I assure the reader I profited very much by these 
reasons given by those ladies, for I knew all this and 
much more might, with great propriety, be said about 
our altar operations. So I determined, at all hazards, 
to regulate, renovate, and cleanse the altar of God, 
and turn out, and keep out, all idle, strolling, gaping 
lookers-on; and when the evening sermon closed, I 
rose in the stand, and I told them all these objections 
of the ladies, and I deliberately indorsed them as 

20 



234 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

valid objections to our altar exercises, and told them 
I was going to invite every seeker of religion to 
come into the altar, and assured them they should be 
protected from these abuses; and in order to a fair 
start, I invited all to rise up and retire out of the altar 
except seekers; and directed that the avenues leading 
to the altar be kept clear at all times ; that there was 
to be no standing on the seats, and no standing up 
around the pales of the alta]j; that no person whatever 
could come into the altar unless invited, and that no 
person was to talk to, or pray with, the mourners unin- 
vited, unless they got very happy. I appointed and 
named out my men to keep order. Thus arranged, and 
our large altar being cleared, and the aisles kept open, 
I invited the mourners to come as humble penitents, 
and kneel in the altar, and pray for mercy; and we 
all were astonished at the number that diatiDguished 
themselves as seekers. I suppose there were not less 
than one hundred, and almost all of them professed 
comfort that night, and among the rest, many of 
those fine wealthy ladies from town. It was sup- 
posed that this was one among the best camp meet- 
ings ever held in Logan county, where there had been 
many, very many, glorious camp meetings, where 
camp meetings started in modern times; and they 
had been in progress for twenty-two years, every 
year more or less. The fruits of this camp meeting 
I hope to see with pleasure in vast eternity. 

The Methodist Church received an impetus and 
strength at this meeting, that vastly increased her 
usefulness, her members, and religious respectability. 
I sincerely hope it is going on and increasing to this 
day. And here permit me to remark, from many 
years' experience, that sanctified wealth will always 
prove a blessing to the Church of God; but unsanc- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 235 

tified wealth, tlioiigli poured into the Church by the 
million, never fails to corrupt and curse the Church. 
If our wealthy people will come themselves and bring 
their wealth, and consecrate the whole without any 
reserve to God, it is almost incalculable to tell the 
instrumental good that can and will result to the 
cause of religion; but, on the other hand, if religion 
must be defeated, the obligations of the Gospel loos- 
ened, the rules of the Church not exacted, a time- 
serving ministry employed and supported, this is, and 
has been, the death-knell to all Churches so far as 
inward piety is concerned. Look at the needless, not 
to say sinful expenditures in our older cities and dis- 
tricts of country ; the unnecessary thousands expended, 
not in building needful and decent churches, for this 
is right, but ornamental churches, to make a vain 
show and gratify pampered pride. Look at the orna- 
mented pulpits, pewed and cushioned seats, organs, 
and almost all kinds of instruments, with salaried 
choirs, and as proud and graceless as a fallen ghost, 
while millions upon millions of our fallen race are 
dying daily, and peopling the regions of eternal woe 
for the want of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and as 
scarce as ministers are in some places in our own 
happy country, yet there are thousands that are 
ready and willing to go to the utmost verge of this 
green earth, and carry the glad tidings of mercy to 
those dying millions, if they had the means of sup- 
port. Would it not the better comport with the obli- 
gations of our holy Christianity to refrain from those 
superfluous expenditures, and with a liberal hand 
and devoted heart apply, or furnish the means to 
carry the glad tidings of salvation to those that sit in 
the region and shadow of moral death, than to apply 
them, as is done in many directions' in this Christian 



236 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

land ? Say, ye professed lovers of Jesus Christ, are 
not your responsibilities tremendously fearful ? There 
is wealth enough in the Churches, and among the 
friends of the different Christian denominations in this 
happy republic, if rightly husbanded and liberally 
bestowed, to carry the Bible and a living ministry to 
every nation on the face of the whole earth. And 
may we be permitted to hail with Christian rapture 
the rising glory of this liberal spirit, when we shall 
see it as the Apocalyptic angel flying in the midst of 
heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to 
every nation, kindred, and tongue ! Say, say ! 
when shall we see this happy day? May the Lord 
hasten it in his time, and we be co-workers together 
with him ! Will the Christian world say. Amen ? 

During my presidency on this district up to the fall 
of 1824, there was a blessed revival in many parts 
of the district, and many joined the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church. There are several interesting incidents, 
no doubt, that have clean escaped my recollection ; 
but there are some I remember, and I will embody 
them here as well as I can. 

At a camp meeting held in the edge of Tennessee, 
a considerable revival took place, and some tall 
sons and daughters of Belial were brought down to 
cry for mercy. Religion made its mark in several 
wealthy families. Persecution v>^as pretty fierce; 
the rowdies sent off and got whisky, drank freely, 
and disturbed us considerably. We arrested some 
of them, and they were fined. Finally, they collected 
their forces in the woods, a short distance from the 
camp-ground, and resolved to break up our camp 
meeting; they then elected their captain and all 
other subordinate officers. Their plan was to arm 
themselves with clubs, to mount their horses, and 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 237 

ride bravely through the camp-ground, and break 
down officers, preachers, and any body else that 
would oppose them. 

Saturday afternoon was the time appointed for 
them to drive us from the ground, but in the mean 
time we found out their plans, and many of their names. 
Their captain called his name Cartwright; all their 
officers assumed the name of some preacher. We 
made our preparations accordingly, and were per- 
fectly ready for them. They drank their whisky, 
mounted their horses, armed with sticks and clubs, 
and then came, almost full speed, into our camp. 
As I was captain of the interior, I met the captain of 
the Philistines, and planted myself near the opening 
between the two tents, where they were to enter the 
inclosure. As the mounted captain drew near the 
entering place I sprang into the breach; he raised his 
club, bidding me to stand by, or he would knock me 
down. 

I cried, " Crack away." 

He spurred his horse and made a pass at me, sure 
enough; but, fortunately, I dodged his stroke. The 
next lick was mine, and I gave it to him, and laid him 
Hat on his back, his foot being in the stirrup. His 
horse got my next stroke, which wheeled him ^' right 
about f^ he dragged his rider a few steps and dropped 
him, and then gave this redoubtable captain leg bail 
at a mighty rate. The balance of the mounted rowdies, 
seeing their leader down and kicking, wheeled and in- 
gloriously fled. We took care of the captain, of course, 
and fined him fifty dollars. This gave us entire con- 
trol of the encampment, and peace in all our borders 
during our meeting. 

Connected with this meeting was another incident 
of thrilling interest, something like the following. 



238 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

There Avere two young men in this settlement of 
wealthy and respectable parentage, who were dis- 
tantly related. They both were paying attention to a 
very wealthy young lady. Some jealousy about rival- 
ship sprung up between them ; they were mutually 
jealous of each other, and it spread like an eating 
cancer. They quarreled, and finally fought; both 
armed themselves, and each bound himself in a 
solemn oath to kill the other. Thus sworn, and 
armed with pistols and dirkis, they attended camp 
meeting. I was acquainted with them, and apprised 
of the circumstances of this disagreeable affair. On 
Sunday, when I was addressing a large congrega- 
tion, and was trying to enforce the terrors of the vio- 
lated law of God, there was a visible power more than 
human rested on the congregation. Many fell under 
the preaching of the word. In closing my discourse 
I called for mourners to come into the altar. Both 
these young men were in the congregation, and the 
Holy Spirit had convicted each of them; their mur- 
derous hearts quailed under the mighty power of 
God, and with dreadful feelings they made for the 
altar. One entered on the right, the other on the left. 
Each was perfectly ignorant of the other being there. 
I went deliberately to each of them, and took their 
deadly weapons from their bosoms, and carried them 
into the preachers' tent, and then returned and labored 
faithfully with them and others — for the altar was full — 
nearly all the afternoon and night. These young men 
had a sore struggle; but the great deep of their hearts 
was broken up, and they cried hard for mercy, and 
while I was kneeling by the side of one of them, just 
before the break of day, the Lord spoke peace to his 
wounded soul. He rose in triumph, and gave some 
thrilling shouts. I hastened to the other young man, 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 239 

at the other side of the altar, and in less than fifteen 
minutes God powerfully blessed his soul, and he rose 
and shouted victory ; and as these young men faced 
about they saw each other, and staring simultaneously, 
met about midway of the altar, and instantly clasped 
each other in their arms. What a shout went up to 
heaven from these young men, and almost the whole 
assembly that were present ! There were a great many 
more who were converted that night; and, indeed, it 
was a night long to be remembered for the clear con- 
version of souls. One of these young men made an 
able itinerant preacher. He traveled a few years, 
had a brilliant career, and spread the holy fire wher- 
ever he went. He then fell sick, lingered a little 
while, and died triumphantly. There was a remark- 
able instance of the power of religion manifested 
in the change of these two young men. A few hours 
before they were sworn enemies, thirsting for each 
other's blood, but now all those murderous feelings 
were removed from them, and, behold! their hearts 
were filled with love. " Old things were done away, 
and all things became new." 

I will relate another circumstance, though a little 
out of the order of time, which will serve to show the 
malignity of an unrenewed human heart. In a little 
town in Breckenridge county, Kentucky, called Hard- 
insburg, there lived a notorious infidel, who delighted, 
on almost all occasions, to treat the Christian religion 
with scorn and contempt. It was his special pride to 
mortify the feelings of professors of religion and min- 
isters of the Gospel. In the course of my traveling 
excursions it fell to my lot, almost a total stranger in 
the place, to be detained here several days and nights. 
The citizens having little or no preaching in the place, 
invited me to preach to them of evenings. I consented 



240 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OP 

to do SO, and there were very good congregations and 
some very good signs of a revival of religion. The peo- 
ple were very friendly to me, and several respectable 
citizens gave me an invitation to dine with them, and 
I did so. This infidel had attended my preaching in 
common with the rest, and in common with the rest 
of the citizens he gave me a very friendly invitation 
to dine with him. Having learned his infidel charac- 
ter, the first time I declined. Several respectable 
citizens urged me to accept his invitation, saying, 
surely something strange had come over Mr. A., for he 
was never known to invite a preacher to his house 
before, in all his life, and they urged me to go. Ac- 
cordingly, the next day he invited me home with him 
to dinner. I went, and when we came to the table, 
instead of requesting me to ask a blessing, he said, as 
we drew up to the table, " Mr. Cartwright, I never per- 
mit any man to ask a blessing at my table, nor do I 
do it myself; for it is all hypocrisy." 

I had not seated myself. Said I, " Mr. A., did you 
not invite me, as a preacher, to dine with you ?" 

"Yes, sir." 

" Do you not know that preachers are in the habit 
of asking a blessing at table, sir ?" 

"Yes, sir," said he; "but I will have none of it 
at my table." 

" Very well, sir," said I, " if I am denied the priv- 
ilege of asking a blessing at your table, I assure you 
I will not eat with you," wheeled ofi", took up my hat, 
and started, bidding him good-by. 

"0, Mr. Cartwright," said he, "you must not leave 
without eating with me." 

"I tell you, sir," was my reply, "I will not," and 
went out. His manner of treating me soon flew all 
over the village, and the wickedest people in it 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 241 

cried out shame, shame, on Mr. A., and greatly ap- 
plauded me for not eating with him. He rendered 
himself very unpopular by this mean act, and I 
shrewdly suspect he never treated another preacher 
as he had treated me. " Lord, what is man that 
thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou 
visitest him ?" 

The Kentucky conference sat in Lexington again 
this fall, September 25, 1822; in Maysville, Sep- 
tember 24, 1823. Here we elected our delegates to 
the fourth delegated General conference, which sat 
in Baltimore, May 1, 1824. This was the third 
General conference to w^hich I was elected. Our 
Kentucky conference was held in Shelbyville, Sep- 
tember 23, 1824, and up to this time we had approxi- 
mated to the following number of traveling preachers 
and members: 

Members. Trav. Prchrs. 

Ohio conference 36,541 122 

Kentucky conference 24,683 92 

Tennessee conference 25,509 87 

Mississippi conference 9,009 46 

Missouri conference 11,773 55 

107,515 402 

This year closed my twentieth year of regular trav- 
eling, from the time I was admitted on trial in the old 
Western conference in 1804. Then we had one con- 
feretice, now we had eight ; for the General confer- 
ence had formed three more in the west; namely, 
Holston, Illinois, and Pittsburg ; then we had two 
bishops, now we had five ; then we had four presid- 
ing-elder districts, now we had thirty ; then we had 
thirty-two traveling preachers, now we had over 400; 
then in all the western world we had 11,87T members, 
now we had over 120,000, including the membership 



242 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

of the Pittsburg conference, which properly belonged 
to the west ; then we had in all these United States 
and the Canadas seven annual conferences, now we 
had fifteen; then we had in the entire Methodist 
Episcopal Church, in these United States and the 
Canadas altogether, of members, 113,134, of travel- 
ing preachers, 400, now we had of members, 326,523, 
traveling preachers, 1,272. 

Thus you have a very small view of the progress 
and prosperity of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 
twenty years of her history. In these estimates we 
make no account of the thousands that were awak- 
ened and converted by her instrumentalities, and had 
joined other branches of the Church of Christ, nor 
of the thousands that had died in the triumphs of 
faith and gone home to heaven. 

When we consider that these United States had 
just emerged from colonial dependence, and had 
passed a bloody revolution of seven years' continu- 
ance, and were yet surrounded by hundreds of thou- 
sands of bloody savages, hostile to the last degree, and 
that we were without credit abroad, and without means 
or money at home, we may well join with the vener- 
able founder of Methodism, Mr. John Wesley, and 
say that " God had strangely set us free as a nation." 
And, on the other hand, in reference to the Methodis't 
Episcopal Church, when w^e consider that her minis- 
ters were illiterate, and not only opposed and de- 
nounced by the Catholics, but by all Protestant 
Churches ; that we were every- where spoken against, 
caricatured, and misrepresented ; without colleges and 
seminaries, without religious books or periodicals, 
without missionary funds, and almost all other relig- 
ious means ; and our ministers did not for many years, 
on an average, receive over fifty dollars for a support 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 243 

annually, and {^ Methodist preacher's library almost 
entirely consisted of a Bible, Hymn-Book, and a Dis- 
cipline, may we not, without boasting, say with one 
of old, ''What hath God wrought?" 

A Methodist preacher in those days, when he felt 
that God had called him to preach, instead of hunt- 
ing up a college or Biblical institute, hunted up a 
hardy pony of a horse, and some traveling appara- 
tus, and with his library always at hand, namely, 
Bible, Hymn-Book, and Discipline, he started, and 
with a text that never wore out nor grew stale, he 
cried, "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away 
the sins of the world." In this way he went through 
storms of wind, hail, snow, and rain ; climbed hills 
and mountains, traversed valleys, plunged through 
swamps, swam swollen streams, lay out all night, 
wet, weary, and hungry, held his horse by the bridle 
all night, or tied him to a limb, slept with his sad- 
dle blanket for a bed, his saddle or saddle-bags for 
his pillow, and his old big coat or blanket, if he 
had any, for a covering. Often he slept in dirty 
cabins, on earthen floors, before the fire ; ate roasting 
ears for bread, drank butter-milk for coffee, or sage 
tea for imperial ; took, with a hearty zest, deer or 
bear meat, or wild turkey, for breakfast, dinner, and 
supper, if he could get it. His text was always ready, 
''Behold the Lamb of God," etc. This was old-fashion- 
ed Methodist preacher fare and fortune. Under such 
circumstances, who among us would now say, " Here 
am I, Lord, send me ?" 



244 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

REMOVAL TO ILLINOIS. 

My three years on the Cumberland district were 
years of immense labor and toil, and of great peace 
and prosperity to the Church. I had seen with pain- 
ful emotions the increase of a disposition to justify 
slavery, and our preachers, by marriage and other 
ways, became more and more entangled with this 
dark question, and were more and more disposed to 
palliate and justify the traffic and ownership of human 
beings, and the legislatures in the slave states made 
the laws more and more stringent, with a design to 
prevent emancipation. Moreover, rabid abolitionism 
spread and dreadfully excited the south. I had a 
young and growing family of children, two sons and 
four daughters; was poor, owned a little farm of about 
one hundred and fifty acres ; lands around me were 
high, and rising in value. My daughters would soon 
be grown up. I did not see any probable means by 
which I could settle them around or near us. More- 
over, I had no right to expect our children to marry 
into wealthy families, and I did not desire it if it 
could be so ; and by chance they might marry into 
slave families. This I did not desire. Besides, I saw 
there was a marked distinction made among the 
people generally, between young people raised with- 
out work and those that had to work for their living; 
and though I had breasted the storms and suffered 
the hardships incident to an itinerant life for more 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 245 

than twenty years, chiefly spent in southern Kentucky 
and western Tennessee, and though I had just as many 
friends as any man ought to have, and hundreds that 
claimed me as the humble and unworthy instrument 
of their salvation, and felt not the least fear that I 
should not be well supported during life as a Methodist 
preacher, the whole country having grown up into 
improved and comfortable living ; and although many, 
very many of my friends in the Church and out of 
the Church remonstrated against the idea of my 
moving to a new country, yet, after much prayer and 
anxious thought, I very clearly came to the conclu- 
sion that it was my duty to move ; and although the 
thought of leaving thousands of my best friends was 
severely painful to me, and sometimes almost over- 
whelmed me, and shook my determination, yet I saw, 
or thought I saw, clear indications of Providence that 
I should leave my comfortable little home, and move 
to a free state or territory, for the following reasons : 
First, I would get entirely clear of the evil of slavery. 
Second, I could raise my children to work where 
work was not thought a degradation. Third, I be- 
lieved I could better my temporal circumstances, and 
procure lands for my children as they grew up. And 
fourth, I could carry the Gospel to destitute souls that 
had, by their removal into some new country, been 
deprived of the means of grace. With these convic- 
tions, I consulted my w^ife, and found her of the same 
mind, and in the spring of 1823, with my brother- 
in-law, R. Gaines, a local preacher, and old father 
Charles Holliday, set out to explore Illinois in quest 
of a future home. 

We made the journey on horseback ; packed horse 
feed, and, in part, our own provisions, as best we 
could, and camped out several times. We knew the 



2^6 AUTOBIOGKAPHY OF 

country was thinly settled, especially the north-eastern, 
north, and north-western parts of the state; and our 
inclination led us in these directions. We took our 
course, without roads, up the Big Wabash valley, till 
we struck the Illinois river above Fort Clark — now 
Peoria city— thence wound our way north of said 
river, through a part of what was then called the 
Military Tract; recrossed the river at what is now 
called Beardstown — then there was only one solitary 
family and a small cabin — and made our way up the 
Sangamon river to a small settlement on Richland 
creek, in Sangamon county, the then extreme north- 
ern county in the state, to the place on which I now 
live, and where I have lived ever since I moved to 
the state, and at which I expect my friends will 
deposit my mortal remains in our family cemetery. 
Here I found a very decent family, with a small im- 
provement, having a double cabin, about the best the 
country afforded. They were settled on Congress 
land; and, indeed, though the land had been surveyed 
by Government, it had not been brought into market. 
I gave him two hundred dollars for his improvement 
and his claim; bought some stock, and rented out the 
improvement, with a view to have something to live 
on in the fall of 1824, when I expected to move 
to it. 

We then retraced our steps homeward through 
Springfield. There were in this place, now the seat 
of government, a few smoky, hastily-built cabins, and 
one or two very little shanties called " stores," and, 
with the exception of a few articles of heavy ware, I 
could have carried at a few loads all they had for sale 
on my back. When we returned home I made sale 
of my little property, all with a special view to our 
removal in 1824; and at the conference, which sat 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 247 

in Shelbyville, Kentucky, I asked and obtained a 
transfer to the Illinois conference, from Bishop Rob- 
erts, and was appointed to travel the Sangamon 
circuit. 

When the conference adjourned, and I was about 
to leave the body of preachers of the Kentucky 
conference, many of whom I had labored with for 
ten, fifteen, or twenty years, it seemed to me that 
I never felt such a rush of feeling before. As we 
took the parting hand, our eyes mutually filled with 
tears. Few of us ever expected to meet again till 
we meet at the judgment-seat. I shook their hands, 
made my best bow to the brethren of the Kentucky 
conference, asked an interest in their prayers, and 
hastened away home; and in a few days all my little 
plunder was packed up and my family mounted, and 
we started for Illinois. 

Although the Illinois conference, at the General 
conference, had been stricken off" from Missouri con- 
ference, yet the annual meeting this fall of both these 
conferences was to be held at Padfield's, Looking- 
Glass Prairie, October 23, 1824. It was my intention 
to meet this conference on my way to Sangamon 
county; but I was prevented by the following fatal 
accident on our way. Just before we struck the 
prairies, the man that drove my team contrived to 
turn over the wagon, and was very near killing my 
oldest daughter. The sun was just going down ; and 
by the time we righted up the wagon and reloaded, 
it was getting dark, and we had a difiicult hill to 
descend, so we concluded to camp there for the night, 
almost in sight of two cabins containing families. I 
was almost exhausted reloading my wagon ; the even- 
ing was warm, and my wife persuaded me not to 
stretch our tent that night; so I struck fire, and 



248 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

kindled it at the root of a small, and, as I thought, 
sound, tree. We laid down and slept soundly. 

Just as day was appearing in the east, the tree at 
the root of which we had kindled a small fire fell, and 
it fell on our third daughter, as direct on her, from 
her feet to her head, as it could fall ; and I suppose 
she never breathed after. I heard the tree crack 
when it started to fall, and sprang, alarmed very 
much, and seized it before it struck the child ; but 
it availed nothing. Although this was an awful 
calamity, yet God was kind to us; for if we had 
stretched our tent that night, we should have been 
obliged to lie down in another position, and in that 
event the tree would have fallen directly upon us, 
and we should all have been killed instead of one. 
The tree was sound outside to the thickness of the 
back of a carving knife, and then all the inside 
had a dry rot ; but this we did not suspect. I sent 
my teamster to those families near at hand for aid ; 
but not a soul would come nigh. Here we were 
in great distress, and no one to even pity our condi- 
tion. My teamster and myself fell to cutting the tree 
off the child, when I discovered that the tree had 
sprung up, and did not press the child; and we drew 
her out from under it, and carefully laid her in our 
feed trough, and moved on about twenty miles — to 
an acquaintance's in Hamilton county, Illinois, where 
we buried her. 

Here I will state a fact worthy of record. There 
was in the settlement a very wicked family, total 
strangers to me and mine. The old gentleman and 
two sons heard of our afiliction, and they hastened to 
our relief, and every act of kindness that they pos- 
sibly could do us was rendered with undisguised and 
undissembled friendship; and they would on no ac- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 249 

count have any compensation. This was true friend- 
ship, and it endeared them to me in a most affectionate 
manner. I met and conversed with them years after- 
ward; and, although they are now dead and gone 
to the spirit-land, I hope they will be in heaven 
rewarded for their kindness to us in our deep and 
heart-rending affliction; for surely this was giving 
more than "a cup of cold water" to a disciple. By 
the blessing of Providence, we prosecuted our jour- 
ney; and on the 15th of November, 1824, we arrived 
where we now live. 

Sangamon county was not only a newly-settled coun- 
try, but embraced a large region. It was the most 
northern and the only northern county organized in 
the state. It had been settled by a few hardy and en- 
terprising pioneers but a few years before. Just north 
of us was an unbroken Indian country, and the Indians 
would come in by scores and camp on the Sanga- 
mon river bottom, and hunt and live there through 
the winter. Their frequent visits to our cabins cre- 
ated sometimes great alarm among the women and 
children. They were a very degraded and demoral- 
ized people, and the white people were very much to 
blame in dealing out the fire-water so freely among 
them. But the whites kept advancing further and 
further into their country, and the Indians kept con- 
stantly receding and melting away before their rapid 
march, till they are now mostly removed west of the 
Mississippi, the great father of waters. 

The Sangamon circuit had been formed about 
three years when I came to it. Brother J. Sims, I 
think, formed the circuit. Brother Rice followed, 
and J. Miller, of one of the Indiana conferences, 
traveled it in 1823-4. The circuit was in what is 
called the Illinois district, Samuel H. Thompson 



250 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

presiding elder. I found about two hundred and 
sixty members in society. The circuit embraced all 
the scattered settlements in the above-named county, 
together with parts of Morgan and M'Lean counties. 
We were almost entirely without ferries, bridges, or 
roads. My mode of traveling, with a few exceptions, 
was to go from point to point of timber, through the 
high grass of the prairie. My circuit extended to 
Blooming Grove in M'Lean county, near where the 
city of Bloomington now stands. A few fine Meth- 
odist families had settled in this grove; some local 
preachers from Sangamon circuit first visited them; 
then Jesse Walker, who was appointed missionary to 
the Indians in and about Fort Clark and up the Illi- 
nois river toward Lake Michigan. I took it into 
the Sangamon circuit, and, in conjunction with 
brother Walker, appointed a sacramental meeting at 
the house of brother Hendricks, he and his wife 
being excellent members of the Church, and he was 
appointed class-leader. Brother Hendricks has long 
since gone to his reward, while sister Hendricks still 
lingers among us a shining example of Christian 
piety. 

An incident occurred at this sacramental meeting 
worthy of note. The ordinance of baptism was de- 
sired by some, and some parents wanted their chil- 
dren baptized, and the brethren desired me to preach 
on or explain the nature and design of Christian bap- 
tism. I did so on the Sabbath. There was present a 
New Light preacher, who had settled in the grove, 
and was a very great stickler for immersion, as the 
only proper mode. That afternoon there arose a dark 
cloud, and presently the rain fell in torrents, and con- 
tinued almost all night; nearly the whole face of the 
earth was covered with water; the streams rose sud- 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 251 

denly and overflowed their banks. A little brook 
near the house rose so rapidly that it swept away the 
spring house and some of the fences. Next morning 
I was riding up the grove to see an old acquaintance. 
I met Mr. Roads, my New Light preacher, and said, 
" Good morning, sir." . 

" Good morning," he replied. 

Said I, " We have had a tremendous rain." 

"Yes, sir," said he ; " the Lord sent that rain to con- 
vince you of your error." 

"Ah!" said I, "what error?" 

"Why, about baptism. The Lord sent this flood to 
convince you that much water was necessary." 

"Very good, sir," said I; "and he in like manner 
sent this flood to convince you of your error." 

"What error?" said he. 

"Why," said I, " to show you that water comes by 
pouring and not by immersion." 

The preacher got into this mad fit because I had 
satisfied one of his daughters that immersion was not 
the proper mode of baptism, and she had joined the 
Methodists; and I am told that this flood to this day 
is called " Cartwright's flood" by way of eminence; 
and though it rained hard, and my New Light 
preacher preached hard against us, yet he made little 
or no impression, but finally evaporated and left for 
parts unknown. His New Light went out because 
there was "no oil in the vessel." 

I had an appointment in a settlement in a certain 
brother's cabin. He had a first-rate wife and several 
interesting daughters; and I will not forget to say, 
had some three hundred dollars hoarded up to enter 
land. For the thin settlement we had a good congre- 
gation. The meeting closed, and there was but one 
chair in the house, and that was called the preacher's 



262 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

chair. The bottom was weak and worn out, and one 
of the upright back pieces was broken off. We had 
a hewed puncheon for a table, with four holes in it, 
and four straight sticks put in for legs. The hearth 
was made of earth, and in the center of it was a deep 
hole, worn by sweeping. Around this hole the 
women had to cook, which was exceedingly incon- 
venient, for they had no kitchen. When we came to 
the table there were wooden trenchers for plates, 
sharp-pointed pieces of cane for forks, and tin cups 
for cups and saucers. There was but one knife be- 
sides a butcher knife, and that had the handle off. 
Four forks were driven down between the puncheons 
into the ground; for bedsteads, cross poles or side 
poles put in those forks, and clapboards laid crosswise 
for cords. The old sister kept up a constant apology, 
and made many excuses. Now, if the brother had 
been really poor, I could have excused every thing; 
but, knowing he had money hoarded up, I thought it 
my duty to speak to him on the subject. I was at 
first a little careful, so I commenced by praising his 
good-looking daughters, and noticed what a good 
cook his wife was if she had any chance. "Now, 
brother," said I, "do fill up this hole in the hearth, 
and go to town and get you a set of chairs, knives 
and forks, cups and saucers, and get you a couple of 
plain bedsteads and bed-cords. Give your wife and 
daughters a chance. These girls, sir, are smart 
enough to marry well, if you will fix them up a 
little." I saw in a moment the women were on my 
side, and I felt safe. The old brother said he had 
seen proud preachers before, and that he knew I was 
proud the moment he saw me with my broadcloth 
coat on, and he did not thank me for meddling with 
his affairs. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 253 

"Brother," said I, "you have been a member of 
the Church a long time, and you ought to know 
that the Discipline of our Church makes it the duty 
of a circuit preacher to recommend cleanliness and 
decency every-where ; and, moreover, if there was 
nothing of this kind in the Discipline at all, my good 
feelings toward you and your family prompt me to 
urge these things on you; and you ought to attend 
to them for your own comfort and the great comfort 
of your family. 

The old sister and daughters joined with me in all 
I said. 

"Brother," said I, "you have two fine boys here, 
and they will help you do up things in a little better 
style ; and I tell you, if you do n't do it by the time 
I come round in four weeks, I shall move preaching 
from your cabin somewhere else." 

The old brother told me I could move preaching ; 
for if I was too proud to put up with his fare, he did 
not want me about him. I went on, but left another 
appointment, and when I came on to it, I tell you 
things were done up about right. The females had 
taken my lecture to the old brother for a text, and 
they had preached successfully to him, for the hole 
in the hearth was filled up, two new bedsteads were 
on hand, six new split-bottomed chairs were pro- 
cured, a new set of knives and forks, cups and sau- 
cers, and plates, were all on hand. The women met 
me very pleasantly, and the old brother himself 
looked better than usual; and, besides all this, the 
women all had new calico dresses, and looked very 
neat. We had a good congregation, a good meeting, 
and things went on very pleasantly with me and the 
whole family during the two years that I rode the 
circuit. And better than all this, nearly all the 



254 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

children obtained religion and joined the Church, and 
those of them who still live I number among my fast 
friends. 

On Hors« creek we had an appointment, and a 
good society. Old brother Joseph Dixon was class- 
leader and steward. I think he was one of the best 
stewards I ever saw. The country was new; our 
little market was at St. Louis, distant one hundred 
miles or more; and some of the people had to go 
sixty miles for their grinding and breadstuff; and 
this country was generally, settled with poor, but 
very kind people ; money was very scarce, and what 
little there was, was generally kept close to enter 
lands when our Congress should order sales ; almost 
universally we were settled on Congress or Govern- 
ment lands. In this condition of affairs, the support 
of a traveling preacher was exceedingly small. The 
first year I traveled the Sangamon circuit with a wife 
and six children, I received forty dollars all told ; the 
second year I received sixty. This was considered a 
great improvement in our financial affairs. I state 
these things that the reader may see the extreme 
difficulties our early preachers had to contend with. 
The round before each quarterly meeting, brother 
Dixon, the steward, would take his horse and accom- 
pany the preacher, and after preaching, and the class 
had met, he would rise and call on the Church for 
their aid in supporting the Gospel. He invariably 
made it a rule to see that every member of his own 
class paid something every quarter to support the 
Gospel, and if there were any too poor to pay, he 
would pay for them. 

Brother D. had been a real backwoodsman, a front- 
ier settler, a great hunter and trapper to take furs. 
Among other early and enterprising trappers, he pre- 



PETER CARTWRiaHT. 255 

pared himself for a hunting and trapping expedition 
up the Missouri river and its tributaries, which at 
that early day was an unbroken Indian country, and 
many of them hostile to the w^hites. He made him- 
self a canoe or dug-out, to ascend the rivers, laid in 
his traps, ammunition, and all the necessary fixtures 
for such a trip, and he and two other partners slowly 
ascended the Missouri. After ascending this stream 
for hundreds of miles, and escaping many dangerous 
ambuscades of the Indians, winter came on with 
great severity. They dug in the ground and buried 
their furs and skins at different points, to keep them 
from being stolen by the Indians. They then dug a 
deep hole on the sunny side of a hill, gathered their 
winter meat and fuel, their leaves and grass, and car- 
ried them into the hole, and took up their winter quar- 
ters. The snows were very deep, the weather intensely 
cold; but they wintered in comparative safety till 
returning spring, which they hailed with transports 
of joy. They were robbed several times by the 
Indians, had several battles with them, and killed 
two or three of them. The next fall his partners fell 
out with him, bought a canoe of the Indians, left him 
alone, descended the river, dug up their furs, and 
returned home. Dixon fortunately secured most of 
the ammunition they had on hand. He again found 
a dreaded winter approaching. He resorted to the 
former winter's experiment, and dug his cave in the 
side of a steep hill, laid up his winter provisions, and 
took up his winter quarters all alone. In this peril- 
ous condition his eyes became inflamed, and were 
very much affected from constant gazing on the almost 
perpetual snows around him, till, such was their dis- 
eased state, he could not see any thing. Here he was 
utterly helpless and hopeless. He began to reflect 



256 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

on his dreadful condition, while he felt nothing but 
certain death, and realized himself to be a great sin- 
ner and unprepared to die. For the first time in his 
life, almost, he kneeled down and asked God for mer- 
cy and deliverance from this awful condition. Then 
and there he promised God if he would spare and 
deliver him, he would from that solemn moment serve 
him faithfully the rest of his life. This promise he 
told me he had faithfully kept ; and there is not in my 
mind a single doubt but he kept his covenant till he 
was safely housed in heaven. 

When he made this covenant with God in his des- 
perate condition, all of a sudden there was a strong 
impression made on his mind that if he would take 
the inside bark of a certain tree that stood a few 
steps from the mouth of his earthy habitation, and 
beat it up soft and fine, soak it in water, and wash 
his eyes with it, he would soon recover his sight. He 
groped his way to the tree, got the bark, prepared it 
as impressed, bathed his eyes, bound some of this 
bark to them, and laid down and slept, not knowing 
whether it was day or night. When he awoke his 
eyes felt easy; the inflammation was evidently sub- 
siding, and in a short time his sight began to return, 
and soon was entirely restored. When he gained con- 
fidence in his restoration to sight he fell on his knees 
to return thanks to God ; a sweet and heavenly peace 
run all through his soul, and he then and there, all 
alone, shouted aloud the high praises of God. He 
then felt that God had forgiven his sins, blessed his 
soul, restored his sight, and that he ought to praise 
and give glory to his holy name. 

When the weather opened for trapping he said he 
had astonishing good luck; took a great amount of 
the very best furs ; and collecting them, began to de- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 257 

scend the river. He had an Indian village to pass on 
the bank of the river, and as they were a deceitful, 
sly, bad tribe of Indians, he determined to keep his 
canoe as far from their shore as possible. They 
made many friendly signs for him to stop, so he con- 
cluded to land and trade a little with them. He had 
his rifle well loaded, and was a very strong man. 
When his canoe struck the bank a large, stout Indian 
jumped into it, and others were following. He ac- 
cordingly shoved off, when one on the bank raised 
his rifle and aimed to shoot him. As quick as thought 
Dixon jerked the Indian that was in the canoe be- 
tween him and the other that raised his rifle ; the gun 
fired, and lodged its contents in the heart of the large 
Indian in the canoe, who fell overboard dead. Dixon 
paddled with all speed down the river, and escaped 
being robbed or killed. When he returned to St. 
Louis he sold his furs for several thousand dollars, and 
returned to his family, after having been absent nearly 
three years. He then packed up, moved to Horse 
creek, in Sangamon county, took preaching into his 
cabin, joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, and 
continued to be a faithful member, leader, and stew- 
ard for many years. His children mostly grew up, 
married, and left him; his most excellent wife at 
length died, witnessing a good confession; his young- 
est son he named Missouri, in memory of his conver- 
sion on the trapping expedition up that turbid stream, 
and also to keep fresh in his recollection the solemn 
vow he had made in his perilous condition. After 
the death of his wife he lingered a few years, and 
then died in peace, at his daughter's in Morgan 
county. 

It may be gratifying to some to see what has grown 
out of what was within the bounds of the old San- 

22 



258 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

gamon circuit in 1824-5. There is Beardstown sta- 
tion, Virginia circuit, Havana circuit, Delavan mis- 
sion, East and West charges in Bloomington, Ran- 
dolph's Grove circuit, Waynesville circuit, Mount 
Pleasant circuit, Clinton, Honey Creek, Mount Pu- 
laski, Decatur station and circuit, Tajlorsville, Sul- 
phur Spring, Yirden Island Grove, and Springfield 
station. Thus the old hive has sent forth twenty 
swarms, and still retains its old name, Sangamon, 
Perhaps this circuit has retained its first name longer 
than any circuit in the state or conference. At the 
close of my second year I returned four hundred 
members, being an increase, in two years, of one 
hundred and sixty. At our conference in Charles- 
town, Indiana, August 25, 1825, Bishop M'Kendree 
attended and presided; and I was reappointed to 
Sangamon circuit. At the time of this conference 
I was taken down with a violent attack of bilious 
fever. Three friendly doctors attended me. They 
succeeded in stopping the fever. My doctor advised 
me to travel homeward slowly, and only a few miles 
a day, till I gained strength, and to take good care 
of myself. Some of the preachers secured a preacher 
acquainted with the country through which I had to 
pass, to go with and take care of me, for I was very 
feeble. This preacher was under marriage contract, 
and the day set for the ceremony, but I knew it not. 
The first day we rode twenty-eight miles. I urged 
him to stop long before we did. But no ; he knew of 
a Judge Somebody, a fine Methodist, and a good 
place, etc. ; he lived in the w est end of a little town. 
As we passed the tavern I urged the preacher again to 
stop; but no, he rode up to the judge's, told my name 
and condition, but he would not take us in. There 
was present a kind-hearted man^ who, on learning my 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 259 

condition, took me home with him and treated me 
well. Next morning we started on, and when we got 
into another little town, having rode that day twenty 
miles, I begged my preacher to let me stop. ''0 no, 
no," said he ; " there is a fine place three miles down 
here; we must get there." At that moment I saw a 
doctor who had been a traveling preacher in Ken- 
tucky, and I knew him and called to him, and begged 
him to take me somewhere that I could rest. I then 
told my preacher guide to move on and move ofi*, for 
certainly I would not travel with him a step further. 
So he left, and the doctor took me home with him, 
and treated me kindly. On Sunday morning he took 
me a few miles up the country, on Honey ere 3k, to 
a camp meeting that was in progress. Here I tarried 
and rested awhile. I was aiming to cross the Wa- 
bash, and get to J. W. M'Reynolds's, near Paris. 

The day I left the camp meeting my fever returned, 
just while I was crossing Honey Creek Prairie. It 
seemed to me I should die for want of water, there 
being no house on the road. I was immensely sick, 
and the day was intensely warm. At length I found 
a little green bush that afforded a small shade. Here 
I lay down to die. I saw a house a little w^ay oiF, 
over a field, but was unable to get to it. In a few 
minutes a lady rode up to me, and although I had 
not seen her for twenty years, I instantly knew her, 
and she recognized me, and after a few minutes she 
rode ofi" briskly after help. 

In a little time there came a man and buggy, and 
a small boy. The boy mounted my horse. The man 
helped me into the buggy, and drove up to his house, 
and took me in, and placed me on a bed between two 
doors, where I had a free circulation of air. This 
was the house where the lady lived. The man was 



260 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

her husband. They took all possible care of me till I 
got a little better, then I started, and got safe to 
brother M'Reynolds's. And now I had the Grand 
Prairie to cross, ninety miles through. To go alone 
seemed out of the question, and brother Mac's family 
was not in a situation for him safely to leave, and 
carry me in a carriage through; but he said he would 
go, as I must not go alone. 

We arranged to start next morning early ; and just 
as we were about leaving, I saw a carriage with a 
span of horses drive up to the steps with three per- 
sons, and who should they be but brother and sister 
Springer, my neighbors, and my wife, who had heard 
of my sickness, and had come to convey me home. 

A bed was placed in the carriage, and we started. 
There was but one house for eighty miles across this 
Grand Prairie, and no water but a few ponds. I 
thought that these two days that we were crossing I 
should surely die for the want of good water. I drank 
freely of these ponds, and it made me very sick every 
time ; and I threw off great quantities of bile, and this, 
perhaps, saved my life. After all my fever abated, 
I gradually grew better, and finally recovered my 
wonted health. 

We had a glorious camp meeting this year on what 
was called Waters's Camp-Ground, on Spring creek, 
six miles west of Springfield. It lasted five days and 
nights. Over forty professed religion, and joined the 
Church ; and the circuit generally was in a healthy 
condition. 

The country this year settled up very rapidly, and 
improvements went up equally as rapid in almost 
every direction. 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 261 



CHAPTER XIX. 

POLITICAL LIFE. 

Our conference met in Bloomington, Indiana, 
Sept. 28, 1826. Bishop Soule and Bishop Roberts 
attended and presided. S. H. Thompson's time on the 
Illinois district having expired, he was appointed to 
the Illinois circuit, and I was appointed to succeed 
him in the district, which was composed of the follow- 
ing circuits, or appointments: Illinois, Kaskaskia, 
Shoal Creek, Sangamon, Peoria, Mississippi, Atlas, 
and the Pottawattomie mission. This district thus 
extended from Kaskaskia river to the extreme 
northern settlements, and even to the Pottawattomie 
nation of Indians, on Fox river; up that river into 
the heart of the nation. And there were only about 
three thousand members of the Church in it, and only 
half of another presiding-elder district in the state. 
The Wabash district, Charles Holliday presiding 
elder, lay on the west side of the Wabash river, in 
Illinois, and on the east side of that river, in Indiana. 

The following appointments were in Illinois : Mount 
Carmel, Wabash, Carmi, Mount Vernon, and Cash 
river, with a membership of about thirteen hun- 
dred and fifty ; a little over four thousand in the entire 
state. My district was four hundred miles long, 
and covered all the west side of the Grand Prairie, 
fully two-thirds of the geographical boundaries of the 
state. The year before I moved to the state there 
had been a strong move, by a corrupt and demoral- 



262 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ized Legislature to call a convention with a view to 
alter the Constitution, so as to admit slavery into the 
state. I had left Kentucky on account of slavery, 
and, as I hoped, had bid a final farewell to all slave 
institutions; but the subject was well rife through the 
country; for, although the friends of human liberty 
had sustained themselves, and carried the election by 
more than one thousand votes, yet it was feared that 
the advocates of slavery would renew the effort, 
and yet cause this "abomination of desolation to 
stand where it ought not." I very freely entered the 
lists to oppose slavery in this way, and without any 
forethought of mind went into the agitated waters of 
political strife. I was strongly solicited to become a 
candidate for a seat in the Legislature of our state. 
I consented, and was twice elected as representative 
from Sangamon county. 

But I say, without any desire to speak evil of the 
rulers of the people, I found a great deal of corrup- 
tion in our Legislature; and I found that almost 
every measure had to be carried by a corrupt bargain 
and sale; which should cause every honest man to 
blush for his country. 

The great national parties were now organized, and, 
as my honest sentiments placed me in the :. iiio;nt3:' 
in my county, of course I retired from politic c. But 
I say now, if the people would not be led 1/ party 
considerations, but would select honest and i apablc 
men, I can not see the impropriety of canvas, i* f r 
office on Christian principles. 

There is an incident or two connected yj.-5 my 
little political experience, that I will give : 

The first time I ran for office in Sangamon 
I was on the north side of the Sangamon r. 
we say in the east, electioneering, or rather tr> ,;' 



PETER CARTVf RIGHT. 263 

get acquainted with the people, for I was at that 
early daj a great stranger to many of them. Pass- 
ing through a bushy point of undergrowth, near a 
ferry where I intended to cross the river, I heard 
just before me some one talking very loud. I reined 
my horse to listen. I heard some one say that Peter 
Cartwright was a d — d rascal ; and so were all Method- 
ist preachers ; they would all steal horses, and that it 
was a scandal to the country that such a man as 
Cartwright should offer for a representative of the 
county; and that the first time he saw him he in- 
tended to whip him for his impudence. This sur- 
prised me a little, and I looked round for some way 
to pass without coming in contact with this com- 
pany ; but there was no path that I could see, and the 
brush was so thick I could not get through. So I 
summoned all my courage, and rode boldly up, and 
spoke to the man. There were six of them; and, as 
I learned, but one of them had ever seen me. So I 
said : '^ Gentlemen, who is it among you that is going 
to whip Cartwright the first time you see him?" 
The man who had threatened spoke out and said : " I 
am the lark that 's going to thrash him well." Said 
I : " Cartwright is known to be much of a man, and it 
will take a man to whip him, mind you." " ! no," 
said he ; " I can whip any Methodist preacher the 
Lord ever made." "Well, sir," said I, ''you can not 
do it ; and now I tell you my name is Cartwright, and 
I never like to live in dread ; if you really intend to 
whip me, come and do it now." 

He looked a little confused, and said, '' ! you 
can't fool me that way ; you are not Cartwright." 

" Well," said I, "that is my name, and I am a candi- 
date for the Legislature, and now is your time; if 
you must whip me, do it now." 



264 AUTOBIOaRAPHY OF 

He said, " No, no, you are not Cartwright at all ; 
you only want to fool me." 

By this time we had moved slowly to the boat, and 
when we got on it, he broke out in a fresh volley of 
curses on Cartwright. I said to a gentleman on the 
boat, "Here, hold my horse ;" and stepping up to this 
cursing disciple, I said sternly to him, "Now, sir, you 
have to whip me as you threatened, or quit cursing me, 
or I will put you in the rivei*, and baptize you in the 
name of the devil, for surely you belong to him." 
This settled him ; and strange to say, when the election 
came off, he went to the polls and voted for me, and 
ever afterward was my warm and constant friend. 

Take another instance of what an honest man has 
to bear, if he mixes in the muddy waters of political 
strife ; and what powerful temptations it throws in his 
way to do wrong, and thereby wound his tender con- 
science, if he has any. There was a man, whom I 
never knowingly saw, and he did not know me by 
sight, as I clearly proved. At a large gathering in 
Springfield, he stated that he had lived my neighbor 
in Kentucky, and that he saw, and heard me offer to 
swear off a plain note of my indebtedness ; and this 
statement was gaining and spreading like wildfire. 
Those opposed to my election were chuckling over it 
at a mighty rate; some of my friends came to me 
and told me of it, and said, I must meet it and stop 
it, or it would defeat my election. Said I : 

" Gentlemen, if you will take me to, and show me 
this man, I will give you clear demonstration that his 
statements are false." 

So a crowd gathered around me, and I walked up 
to the public square where this man was defaming me. 
I said to the company, " Take me right up to the 
man, and I will show you that he never saw me, and 



PETER CART WEIGHT. 265 

never kncvf me." They did so; and when we came 
to him, one said to me, " This is Mr. G." 

Looking him in the eye, said I, " Well, sir, I want 
to know something about this lying report you have 
been circulating about me." There was a large crowd 
gathered around. 

" Who are you, sir ?" said he. " I do n't know you." 

"Did you ever see me before?" 

"No, sir, not that I know of." 

"Well, sir, my name is Peter Cartwright, about 
whom you have circulated the lying statement that I, 
in your presence, in Kentucky, offered to swear off a 
plain note of my indebtedness ; and I have proved to 
this large and respectable company that you are a 
lying, dirty scoundrel; and now, if you do not here 
acknowledge yourself a liar and a dirty fellow, I will 
sweep the streets with you to your heart's content; 
and do it instantly, or I Avill give you a chastisement 
that you will remember to your latest day." 

The crowd shouted, "Down him, down him, Cart- 
wright; he ought to catch it." 

After the crowd was a little stilled, my accuser said, 
"Well, gentlemen, I acknowledge that I have done 
Mr. Cartwright great injustice, and have, without any 
just cause, lied on him." At this the crowd gave 
three cheers for Cartwright. 

Now, you see, gentle reader, the muddy waters that 
a candidate for office in our free country has to wade 
through; and well may we pray, "Lead us not into 
temptation, but deliver us from evil." 

I will relate an incident that occurred in the Legis- 
lature. After we were sworn in as members of that 
body, there was a flippant, loquacious lawyer, elected 
from Union- county. He was a pretty speaker, but not 
verv profound, and had a very high opinion of his 

23 



266 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

own tact and talent. He was also a great aspirant, 
and had a thirst for popularity, and there were 
several congregations of Dunkers, or Seventh-day 
Baptists, in the district. This lawyer represented that 
they kept Saturday for the Christian Sabbath, and 
thought, or professed to think, it was altogether wrong 
that they should pay taxes, work on roads, perform 
military duty, or serve on juries, etc., etc., etc. 

He wanted to have a law passed, favoring them in 
all these particulars, and thus exclusively legislating 
for their particular benefit, thereby making a relig- 
ious test, and making a sectarian distinction, and 
legislating for their pretended scruples of conscience. 
He accordingly introduced a bill for their special 
benefit. I opposed the passage of the bill, and briefly 
remarked, that, as a nation, we all acknowledged Sun- 
day as the Christian Sabbath, and that there ought to 
be no distinctions in Churches, or among the people; 
and as to bearing arms, that the people who were un- 
willing to take up arms in the defense of their country, 
were unworthy of the protection of the government ; 
and as for not working on roads, if there were any 
unwilling to work on roads, they should not be allow- 
ed the privilege of traveling them ; as to serving on 
juries, if any body was unwilling to serve on them, 
he ought to be deprived the privilege of having the 
right of trial by jury ; and if there were any unwilling 
to pay taxes to support government, they should be 
declared outlaws, and denied the protection of govern- 
ment. The representative from Union, at this, flew 
into a mighty rage, and, instead of arguing the case, 
began to eulogize the Dunkers, and drew a contrast 
between them and the Methodists. He said the Dun- 
kers were an honest, industrious, hard-working people ; 
their preachers worked for their own support; there 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 267 

was no hypocritical begging among them ; no carry- 
ing the hat round in the congregation for public col- 
lections, and hypocritical whining among them for 
support, as was always to be seen among Methodist 
preachers. Thus he laid on thick and fast. It was 
my good fortune to know, that a few years before, 
this same lawyer was a candidate for Congress, and 
the lamented S. H. Thompson was the presiding elder, 
and his district covered the congressional district this 
lawyer desired to represent ; and as brother Thomp- 
son was very popular among the people, and had a 
number of camp and quarterly meetings in the bounds 
of this congressional district, this said lawyer had 
pretended to be serious on the subject of religion ; and 
here he followed brother Thompson from appointment 
to appointment, appearing to be very much concerned 
about religion, threw in liberally at every public col- 
lection, offering to carry the hat round himself when 
collections were taken. 

When he closed his tirade of abuse, I rose and said, 
"Mr. Speaker, I award to the gentleman from Union 
the honor of being one of the best judges of hypoc- 
risy in all the land;" and then narrated the above 
facts. He rose and called me to order; but the 
Speaker said I was in order, and directed him to sit 
down. Presently, he rose again, and said if I was 
not called to order he would knock me down at the 
bar. The Speaker again pronounced me in order, and 
bade me proceed. I finished my speech, and left my 
mark on this belligerent son of the law. 

When we adjourned our clerk told me to be on my 
guard ; that he heard this lawyer say, the moment I 
stepped out of the State House door he intended to 
whip me. I walked out and stepped up to him, and 
asked, "Are you for peace or war?" 



268 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

"0," said he, "for peace; come, go home with me 
and take tea." 

We locked arms, and I went. When we got there 
we found the Governor and his lady, and a number of 
genteel people. We sat down to tea, and I found 
they were going to eat with graceless indifference. 
Said I, " Governor, ask a blessing." He blushed, 
apologized, and begged me to do it. I did so; and 
then remarked that I had called on his excellency by 
way of reproof, for I thought the Governor ought to 
be a good man and set a better example. He readily 
admitted all I said to be true ; and this was the last 
time during the session that I ate at any of their 
houses without being requested to ask a blessing. 

At a quarterly meeting I held in Kaskaskia in 
1827, an incident occurred which I will relate. S. L. 
Robinson and A. E. Phelps were the circuit preach- 
ers, both of whom have passed away, witnessing a 
good confession. E, Roberts and Colonel Mather 
lived in Kaskasia at this time; and although neither 
of them was a professor of religion, yet they were 
both friendly to religion, and treated Methodist 
preachers with great kindness. We staid with them 
during the quarterly meeting; and although neither 
of them was a drinking man, yet they sometimes 
took a little rum; so also did Methodist and other 
preachers. These two men, in all kindness, poured 
out some wine, as they supposed, into glasses, and 
sent it round in a waiter to us preachers, but through 
mistake it happened to be brandy. The most of the 
preachers turned off their wine as was supposed, and 
they did it so suddenly and unsuspiciously, the mis- 
take was not detected till it was drank. For- 
tunately for me, I got the smell of the brandy, and 
held back from drinking at all. 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 269 

Said I, " Gentlemen, this is brandy as sure as you 
live." 

Mr. Roberts and Mr. Mather were greatly surprised 
at their mistake, and were mortified. The preachers 
who had drank their brandy through mistake were 
alarmed, fearing they would be intoxicated, being so 
little in the habit of using ardent spirits. No serious 
intoxication was the result of this mistake; but how 
much better it would have been wholly to abstain 
from all, and then these accidents would never happen. 
Suppose any, or all of us, through this mistake, had 
become intoxicated, what a dreadful reproach we 
would have caused to religion, and the worthy name 
of Christ would have been blasphemed through an 
idle, not to say sinful habit. 

The last year brother Thompson was on this dis- 
trict, it being very large, he requested me to attend 
some of his quarterly meetings, and, among others, I 
attended one in Green county, near what is now 
called Whitehall. John Kirkpatrick, a loQal preacher 
from the Sangamon circuit, went down and arrived 
there a little before me. When I came he approached 
me and said, 

"Brother, I sincerely pity you from my very 
heart." 

"Why, what 's the matter?" 

"The people have heard that you are one of the 
greatest preachers in the west, and their expecta- 
tions are on tiptoe, and no bishop could satisfy them ; 
but do your best." 

These statements somewhat disconcerted me, though 
I never was very anxious to gratify idle curiosity; I 
knew my help must come from God, and unless the 
Lord helped me, every effort would be vain; but if 
God would help me, I asked no other aid. At length 



270 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF 

the hour arrived, and I rose in the stand, and tried 
to preach the best I knew how. The people gave me 
their kind attention, but I saw in their countenances 
they were disappointed. During the intermission 
brother Kirkpatrick came to me and said, 

"I told you so; you have fallen several degrees 
under the people's expectations. You must try 
again." 

Accordingly, on Sunday I took the stand, and tried 
to look wise, and I. not only tried to look so, but I 
tried to preach so, and in all good conscience I went 
at the top of my speed, and did my very best, but it 
was a failure. Brother Kirkpatrick came to me again, 
and deeply sympathized with me. 

Said I, " Brother, I know what is the matter ; I '11 
come it the next time." 

So on Sunday night I mounted the stand, took 
my text, and, though I had loaded in a hurry, drew 
the bow at a venture, and let fly arrows in almost 
all directions: some laughed; some cried; some be- 
came angry; some ran; some cursed me right out; 
some shouted; some fell to the earth; and there was 
a general uproar throughout the whole encampment. 
Our meeting lasted all night, and the slain of the 
Lord were many; and although this discourse was 
delivered without connection, system, or any thing 
else but exhortation, I redeemed myself, and now it 
was admitted that I was a great preacher. 

I attended several camp meetings in this neighbor- 
hood during my continuance on the district, and we 
always had good times; there was, however, consid- 
erable opposition and persecution. At one of these 
camp meetings the wicked young men, who were 
chiefly children of religious people, or professors in 
other Churches, brought their whisky and hid it in 



PETE II CART WEIGHT. 271 

the woods, wliere tliey would collect together and 
drink, and then come and disturb the worshiping 
congregation. I closely watched them, and after 
they had gone out to their whisky and drank freely, 
and returned to interrupt us, I captured their keg of 
whisky, and brought it in and placed it under guard. 
After a while they missed it, and there was great 
confusion among them. They finally suspected me, 
and sent me word, if I would give up their whisky 
they would behave themselves or go away. I sent 
them word, that I never hired people to behave, and 
if they did not behave I would make them. They 
then sent me word, if I did not give up their whisky 
they would stone the preachers' tent that night, and 
one of them had the impudence to tell me so. I ut- 
terly refused to give up the whisky, and told him to 
stone away, that I would be ready for them. 

There was, close by the camp-ground, a beautiful 
running stream, with a gravelly bottom, and many 
little rocks or pebbles. After dark a while, the camp- 
ground was brilliantly lighted up ; I w^ent and bor- 
rowed some old clothes, and dressed myself in dis- 
guise, and obtained an old straw hat. Thus attired, I 
sallied out, and presently, unperceived, I mixed among 
these rowdies, and soon got all their plans ; they were 
to wait till the congregation w^as dismissed, the lights 
put out, and the people retired to rest ; and then they 
were to march up and stone the preachers' tent, and 
if I made my appearance to annoy them in any way, 
they were to give me a shower of stones. I mixed 
freely among them, and do not suppose any one even 
suspected me at all. Meeting closed, the lights were 
blown out, and the people mostly retired to rest ; in 
the mean time I had slipped down to the brook, and 
filled the pockets of the old overcoat that I had bor- 



272 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

rowed, with little stones; and as I came up to them, 
they were just ready to commence operations on the 
preachers' tent; but before they had thrown a single 
stone, I gathered from my pockets my hands full of 
stones, and flung them thick and fast right in among 
them, crying out, at the top of my voice, " Here they 
are ! here they are ! take them ! take them !" They 
broke at full speed, and such a running I hardly ever 
"witnessed. I took after them, hallooing, every jump, 
" Take them ! take them !" Thus ended the farce. 
We had no more interruption, and our camp meeting 
went on gloriously, and we had many conversions 
clear and powerful. 

There lived in this settlement a very pious sister, 
who was much afflicted; she was poor, and money 
was scarce, and hard to get ; but this sister believed 
it to be her duty, and the duty of every member of 
the Church, to aid in the support of the Gospel. She 
was very liberal, and very punctual in paying her 
quarterage ; but circumstances, entirely beyond her 
control, prevented her from getting the money to pay 
her quarterage. The above-named camp meeting was 
the last quarterly meeting before conference, and the 
thought, that her preachers were to go away without 
their pay greatly afflicted her; she talked to me 
about it, and felt greatly distressed, and even wept 
over it. On Monday morning she went home, living 
but a short distance from the camp-ground, to get a 
fresh supply of provisions, and, as she returned to the 
camp-ground, she found, lying in the road, a silver 
dollar ; she picked it up, and came to the camp-ground 
greatly rejoicing, and said, the Lord had given her 
that dollar to pay her preachers, and she gave it to 
the support of the Gospel with great cheerfulness. 
Now, if all our Church members would act as con- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 273 

scientiously as this beloved sister, our preachers would 
never go without their pay. This sister lived and died 
a noble pattern of piety ; her end was peace, and well 
might she say, on her dying couch, to her surrounding 
friends, who wept by her bedside: "Follow me, as I 
have followed the Lord Jesus Christ." 

Before I take leave of this camp meeting, I will re- 
late an incident, to show what lengths people can go 
in wild and unjustifiable fanaticism. There came a 
man to this meeting from one of the Carolinas, who 
had professed religion in some of the revivals in that 
country. He was a man of good education, and 
wealthy, of polite manners, of chaste and pleasant 
conversation ; he had joined no Church, had no license 
to preach from any accredited branch of the Christian 
Church, had no testimonials of his good character, or 
of being in fellowship with any Christian body what- 
ever; and yet he professed to be called of God to the 
ministry of the word, and that God had appointed 
him to travel all over the world, and to travel on foot 
too. 

First, he was to bring about a universal peace 
among all nations ; then, secondly, he was to unite all 
the branches of the Christian Church, and make them 
one. Till then he was forbidden to ride, or go in any 
other way than on foot; and when he had accom- 
plished the object of his mission, the closing of which 
was to be attended by the bringing in of the Jews, 
and their return to Palestine, and the rebuilding of 
Jerusalem, and the rearing up of the Temple; then 
Christ was to descend bodily as he ascended, and 
reign a thousand years on earth, in the midst of his 
soints; and then, and not till then, he, the preacher, 
was to ride, and ride in triumph into the New Jeru- 
salem, and this was to be the commencement of the 



274 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

millennium. This man would talk on the subject till 
his feelings would be wrought up to an ecstatic rap- 
ture, and he would shout in apparent triumph, as if 
he had performed the greatest work ever accomplish- 
ed on earth, saving the redemption of the world. 
Although his whole conversation on the subject was 
replete with supreme absurdities, yet it was astonish- 
ing to see with what earnest attention the people 
heard him in his private conversations; I say private, 
because I would not let him occupy the pulpit, and 
deliver his discourses from the stand, although he, 
and others, importuned me to let him do so; but I 
told them, no, I could not, in view of my responsibility 
to God and man, permit any such religious foolish- 
ness to disturb and divert the minds of the people 
from the sober truths of the Gospel, and gave, as my 
decided opinion, that God would not swerve one 
hair's breadth from the system of truth recorded in 
the Gospel to save or to damn the world. This gave 
him great offense, and shortly he left us ; and I was ex- 
ceedingly glad when he took his departure. During 
the time he staid among us I tried to reason him out 
of his absurd notions, to show the great folly and in- 
consistency of his views, but all in vain; he construed 
it into persecution, and a disposition to fight against 
God. I have lived to see many of these insane en- 
thusiasts on the subject of religion, and I have never 
seen any good resulting from giving them any coun- 
tenance at all; but in several instances, great harm 
was done by showing them countenance. They can 
manufacture more fanatics, and in a shorter time, 
than twenty good, sound. Gospel ministers can turn 
five sinners from the error of their ways to the 
service of the living and true God. Perhaps it may 
not be considered out of place to indulge here in a 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 275 

few remarks on the subject of this wild, frenzied 
fanaticism. 

There are several classes of these fanatics, accord- 
ing to the best observations that I have been able to 
make, and I have had many opportunities in the 
course of my fifty years' ministry. First, there are 
many 'that are truly awakened and soundly converted 
to God, and are pious, but instead of taking the 
word of God for their only infallible guide, and trying 
the spirits, and their impressions, or feelings, by that 
as a standard, they take all their impressions and 
sudden impulses of mind as inspirations from God, 
and act accordingly. If you oppose them, they say 
and believe you are fighting against God. If you try 
to reason them out of their visionary flights, and set- 
tle them down on the sure foundation, the word of 
God, they construe it all into the want of religion, and 
cry out persecution. 

Secondly. There is another class of enthusiastic 
persons, that not only seem, but actually are, so su- 
premely wrapped up in self, that all they do, or say, 
or perform, is to be seen of men, and if they can only 
get the ignorant multitude to run after them, and 
cry " Hosanna ! blessed is he that cometh in the 
name of the Lord," they wrap themselves in their 
mantle of supreme self-complacence. They surely 
have not the fear of God before their eyes, and their 
fearful responsibilities seem not to enter into their 
calculations from first to last. Woe unto them ! If 
they want to go to hell, they had better take the 
most obscure route to that dismal region, and go 
single-handed and alone, than to draw the ignorant 
and gaping crowds, the rifi" raff of all God's creation, 
after them ; but all rebels against the government of 
God love company. The devil himself is a fearful 



276 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

witness of this fact, when, under his mutinous and re- 
volting conspiracy against the eternal Majesty of 
heaven, he drew the third part of the stars of heaven 
after him in his rebellion against God. It is impossi- 
ble to calculate the mischief done by this class of 
fanatics, and the many souls they have ruined forever. 

Thirdly. There is a dark, motley crowd of wtzards, 
witches, and spiritual rappers, so called, that have, 
sooner or later, infested all lands, and are the com- 
mon property of the devil. They must have a fee for 
divining and soothsaying, and make a gain of their 
pretended art, and some of them pretend to be min- 
isters of Christ and followers of the Lamb. By the 
indulgence of my readers I will give a very brief and, 
of course, imperfect statement of a case that will set 
this matter in a true light. 

There was, in one of our eastern conferences, a 
very talented, shrewd traveling preacher, whose 
piety was of a doubtful complexion. If his piety 
had been equal to his talents as a pulpit orator, he 
certainly could have done a great deal of good; but 
being weighed in the balances of the public mind, 
and, in point of piety, found wanting, he thought 
he must rise somehow, so he fell in with those locusts 
of Egypt, the spiritual rappers, took a few lessons, 
and then commenced operations, and really astonish- 
ed the ignorant multitudes, himself with the rest. 
He pretended to call up the dead from every country 
and clime; he summoned them from heaven, earth, 
and hell ; he not only could tell who was happy in 
heaven, as he said, but who were miserable in hell ; 
he could hold communion with God, with angels, 
spirits, and the devil also. The last part I am not 
disposed to doubt. Indeed, I have very little doubt 
that he was in constant communion with the devil. 



PETER CARTAVRTGHT. 277 

The Church was grieved with this state of things, 
and the ministers thought it their duty to arrest him, 
not only for these presumptuous pretensions, but for 
sundry other moral delinquencies. They tried him, 
and expelled him from the Church. He appealed to 
the General conference that sat in Pittsburg in 1848. 
On examination the General conference thought that 
there was some informality in his trial in the annual 
conference to which he belonged, and they remanded 
it back to his conference for a new trial. The con- 
ference took up the case again, found him guilty of 
several immoralities, and expelled him again. From 
this act of expulsion he appealed to the General con- 
ference that sat in Boston in 1852. In his defense 
before that body, he openly avowed that he could tell 
what was going on in heaven, earth, and hell ; that he 
had foretold the results of many of the important battles 
in Mexico, under Generals Taylor and Scott, before 
the battles were fought; and that he knew how the 
decision of that General conference would go, before 
the trial ended. When the special pleadings in his 
case were over, and he was requested to retire, in 
order that the conference should make up their ver- 
dict, I slipped out at the door after him, and said to 
him, ''Now, brother S., can you tell how this con- 
ference will decide in your case beforehand?" 

"Yes, I can," said he. 

" Well," said I, '' if you will tell me now, and they 
should decide as you say, you can very easily make a 
convert of me. Do tell me here, privately ; I will say 
nothing about it till the verdict is rendered." 

"Get away," said he; "I will not do it." 

" No," said I, " because you can not." The General 
conference, with great unanimity, affirmed the de- 
cision of the court below, and he was expelled. 



278 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

While I was on my way to the quarterly meeting 
in Mississippi circuit, at brother J. Pickett's, in what 
was then Madison county, south of the Macoupin 
creek, there had fallen a tremendous rain, and the 
creek was out of its banks. There was a little, old, 
crazy horse-boat; and although within a few miles 
of the place where the quarterly meeting was to be 
held, there was no chance of getting there without 
risking life in this old, crazy boat across this rapid 
stream. When I rode up to the creek there sat a 
good old local preacher on the bank, holding his 
horse by the bridle. After the usual salutations, 
he said, 

*' Brother, I started to go to the quarterly meeting, 
but I have no money, and the ferryman will not set 
me over, even on trust." 

"How much does he charge?" said I. 

He replied, " Twelve and a half cents." 

"Very well, brother," said I, "go with me, and 
I will pay the ferriage." 

So we crossed and got out safely. That night this 
old brother preached, and the power of the Lord was 
present to kill and make alive. Three souls were 
converted and six joined the Church, and we had an 
excellent meeting. I state this little circumstance to 
show the great good that can be done with a small 
sum of money. I do not think that I ever laid out 
twelve and a half cents to better advantage in all my 
little pilgrimage on earth. 

From this quarterly meeting I crossed the Illinois 
river on to the Military Tract, aiming for the Atlas 
circuit quarterly meeting. Late in the evening I rode 
up to a temporary building, a total stranger, and 
asked for quarters for the night, which was readily 
granted. I found that my landlord's family had 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 279 

moved from some of the New England states, and 
were a well-informed and clever family. The gentle- 
man's name was Colonel Ross. Several families had 
moved out here, and had been living here three or 
four years, and, perhaps, had never heard a sermon 
since they had settled in this new country. I was 
invited to pray in the family night and morning. 
Our conversation chiefly turned on religious subjects. 
When I started on next morning, they would receive 
no compensation from me ; and as they were kind, and 
would have nothing for my night's lodging, hav- 
ing in my saddle-bags a few religious books, I drew 
out "the Letters and Poems of Caroline Matilda 
Thayer," and made a present of this little book to 
my landlady, and went on my way. 

I was happy afterward to learn from this land- 
lady's own mouth that God made this little book the 
means of her sound conversion. She led a happy 
Christian life, and died a peaceful, triumphant death. 
I name this little circumstance to show, in a small 
way, what good can be done by the distribution of 
religious books among the people. It has often been 
a question that I shall never be able to answer on 
earth, whether I have done the most good by preach- 
ing or distributing religious books. If we as a Church 
had been blessed with a flourishing Book Concern 
such as we now have, and our preachers had scattered 
books broad-cast over these western wilds, or any 
other wilds, it would be impossible to tell the vast 
amount of good that would have been done. And, 
indeed, this is one of the grand secrets of the success 
of our early Methodist preachers. 

Well do I remember of reading, in early life, 
Russell's Seven Sermons, Nelson's Journals, and 
such books as those, which would make me weep, 



280 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

and pray too. For more than fifty years I have firmly 
believed, that it was a part and parcel of a Method- 
ist preacher's most sacred duty to circulate good 
books wherever they go among the people. And I 
claim to have come as nigh my duty in this as any 
other, and perhaps more so. I have spread thousands 
of dollars' worth among the people; sometimes a 
thousand dollars' worth a year. But I fear a change 
for the worse has come over our Methodist preachers 
on this subject ; many of them, since the country has 
grown up into improved life, and wealth abounds, 
feel themselves degraded in peddling books, as they 
call it, and want to roll this whole duty on to the 
colporteurs. But I believe, with our most excellent 
Discipline, that we should "be ashamed of nothing 
but sin." The religious press is destined, in the order 
of Providence, to give moral freedom to the perish- 
ing millions of earth. "My people," saith the Lord, 
"perish for lack of knowledge." Think of this, 
ye ministers of Jesus Christ; lay aside your pride, 
and call to your aid, in disseminating religious knowl- 
edge from the pulpit, religious books, and God will 
own the efi'ort, and prosper the work of your hands 
every-where. 

I suppose I w^as the first preacher who ever held 
a camp meeting in the Military Tract, in what is now 
called Pike, Adams, Schuyler, and Hancock counties. 
We had a camp meeting in Pike county in 1827. We 
had but one tent on the ground, and that was called 
the "Preachers' Tent." The people rolled on to the 
ground in their wagons ; brought their victuals, and 
ate at the wagons. We held this meeting several 
days and nights in this way, and we had a prosperous 
meeting. We had one in Schuyler county the same 
season, and many souls were blessed. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 281 

Our Pottawattomie mission was located on Fox 
river. Jesse Walker was missionary, and I was 
appointed superintendent; and it belonged to the 
Illinois district. During the two years that I super- 
intended this mission I received not one cent from 
the missionary funds. We had near one hundred 
miles of unbroken wilderness country to pass through 
to get to this mission. I had to pack provisions for 
myself and horse to and from the mission. There 
being no roads, I had to hire my pilot, and camp out. 

Having made preparations for the journey, and an 
appointment to meet the chiefs of the nation at the 
mission, I started from the Peoria quarterly meeting 
with my pilot and several volunteers for the mission. 
We shaped our course from point to point of timber. 
Late in the evening we struck the timber of the Il- 
linois Vermillion, and finding plenty of water, we 
camped, struck fire, cooked, and took supper and din- 
ner all under one. We had prayer, fixed our blank- 
ets and overcoats, and laid us down and slept soundly 
and sweetly till next morning. We rose early, took 
breakfast, fed our horses, and started on our way 
across the Illinois river, swimming our horses beside 
a canoe, and just at night reached the mission. We 
called the mission family together and preached to 
them. The next day the chiefs appeared; we smoked 
the pipe of friendship with them, and, through an in- 
terpreter, I made a speech to them, explaining our 
object in establishing a mission among them. All 
the chiefs now shook hands with us, as their custom 
is, and gave us a very sociable talk, and all bid us a 
cordial welcome save one, who was strongly opposed 
to our coming among them. He did not wish to 
change their religion and their customs, nor to edu- 
cate their children. I replied to him, and met all his 

24 



282 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

objections. I tried to show them the benefits of civil- 
ization and the Christian religion. There was pres- 
ent a Chippewa chief, with his two daughters, at the 
mission. The chief made a flaming speech in favor 
of the mission, and in favor of our " Great Father," 
the President, and the American people. He had 
fought under the American colors in the last war 
with England, and had his diploma from the Presi- 
dent as a brave captain, and showed it with great ex- 
ultation. His two daughters were dressed like the 
whites, and could read pretty well. When our " great 
talk " was over, I asked them the liberty to preach to 
them, which was granted. I tried to explain to them 
the original state of man, the fall of man, and the 
redemption through Christ; the condition of salvation, 
namely, faith in Christ, and obedience to all the pre- 
cepts of the Gospel, as revealed in the holy Scrip- 
tures ; and urged them to repent, and forsake all their 
sins, and come to Christ. 

It was an awkward and slow way to preach, through 
an interpreter, but I succeeded much better than I 
anticipated. One Indian woman w^ho had obtained 
religion, as we believed, desired baptism, and the or- 
dinance was administered to her. Several couple, 
from the scattering white people that hung around 
the mission, applied to be married. 

After directing matters, according to my instruc- 
tions as superintendent, we started for home. After 
traveling near fifty miles, night came on at a point of 
timber called Crow Point, and there we camped. A 
dreadful storm of wind arose, which blew a severe 
gale, but Providence favored us in withholding the 
rain, and Ave considered this a great blessing. The 
next day we reached the settlement in health and 
safety. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 283 

We expended several thousand dollars of mission- 
ary money in improving these mission premises, and 
succeeded in civilizing and Christianizing a few of 
these Indians, but the whites kept constantly encroach- 
ing on them till they became restless, and, finally, 
the Government bought them out. The mission 
premises, with a section of land, was reserved for one 
of the half breed, so that the Missionary Society lost 
all that they had expended. It is true the chiefs of 
the nation gave brother Walker a thousand dollars of 
their annuities, as a compensation for the improve- 
ments he had made with the missionary money; and 
this money properly belonged to the Missionary 
Society, but they never realized it; and the Indians 
moved, finally, west of the Mississippi. There is still 
a lingering, wasting remnant of that nation; they 
have a missionary among them, and a good many of 
them are pious Christians. 

Before this mission was broken up there appeared 
another of those wandering stars, or visionary preach- 
ers, by the name of Paine. He visited a camp meet- 
ing held near Springfield. He had no proper cre- 
dentials to preach, and yet he professed to be com- 
missioned from Heaven to convert the world, whites, 
Indians, and all. He wanted to preach at my camp 
meeting, but I would not permit him to occupy the 
stand. He called off the loose crowd some distance 
into the woods, gave us a terrible tongue-lashing, 
and then departed north to preach to the Indians. In 
the mean time the Black Hawk Indian war had 
broken out, and they were killing our people on the 
outskirts of the settlement fearfully. This Paine 
had gotten up somewhere this side of Chicago, and 
wanted to come down the country toward the old 
mission. He was admonished not to venture, and was 



284 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

assured the Indians would kill him, but he was so 
visionary that he said he was not afraid to go alone, 
right in among them, for the Lord would protect him, 
and the Indians would not hurt a hair of his head. 
He, in spite of every warning, started alone, through 
a long prairie. The Indians were waylaying the 
trail, and as he drew near a point of timber they 
shot and killed him, and then cut off his head ; after 
scalping it, they placed it on a pole, and stuck the pole 
erect in the ground. They then took his horse and 
riding apparatus, clothes, etc. The next day, as a 
company of men passed, they saw Paine's head stick- 
ing on a pole, and his body greatly mangled by the 
wolves; and this was an end of his commission to 
convert the world, Indians and all. "As the fool 
dieth, so died he." 

In the fall of 1827, Sept. 20th, our conference was 
held in Mount Carmel, and I was continued on the 
Illinois district, and the name of Mississippi circuit 
changed to Apple Creek circuit. At the Mount Car- 
mel conference we elected our delegates that sat in 
Pittsburg, May 1, 1828. This was our fifth dele- 
gated General conference, and the first we ever had 
in the west, this side of the mountains. 

In the month of April brother Dew, brother 
Thompson, and myself, met at St. Louis, to take pas- 
sage on board a steamboat to the General conference 
in Pittsburg. We had never been on board a steam- 
boat before, at least I never had. They were then a 
new thing among us, so we took passage on board 
the " Velocepede," Mr. Ray captain. Before we went 
aboard, brothers Dew and Thompson, with the kind- 
est feelings imaginable, thought it their duty to cau- 
tion me to be very quiet, for these steamboat fellows, 
passengers and all, were desperadoes. They knew I 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 285 

"was outspoken, loved every body and feared nobody. 
They were afraid I would get into some difficulty 
with somebody. I thanked them very kindly for 
their special care over me. "But," said I, "brethren, 
take care of yourselves; I think I know how to be- 
have myself, and make others behave themselves, if 
need be." 

When we got aboard we had a crowded cabin, a 
mixed multitude; some deists, some atheists, some 
Universalists, a great many profane swearers, drunk- 
ards, gamblers, fiddlers, and dancers. We dropped 
down to the barrack, below St. Louis, and there came 
aboard eight or ten United States officers, and we had 
a jolly set, I assure you. They drank, fiddled, danced, 
swore, played cards, men and women too. I walked 
about, said nothing, but plainly saw we were in a bad 
snap, but there was no way to help ourselves. Brother 
Thompson came to me and said, " Lord have mercy 
on me 1 what shall we do ?" 

"Go to your berth," said I, "and stay there 
quietly." 

"No," said he ; "I '11 reprove them." 

"Now, brother," said I, "do not cast your pearls 
before swine." 

"Well," said he, "I won't stay in the cabin; I'll 
go on deck." 

Up he started, and when he got there, behold, they 
were playing cards from one end of the deck to the 
other. Back he came and said, "What shall I do? 
I can not stand it." 

"Well," said I, "brother Thompson, be quiet and 
behave yourself; you have no way to remedy your 
condition, unless you jump overboard and swim to 
shore." 

So things went on several days and nights. At the 



286 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

mouth of the Ohio there came aboard a Captain 
Waters. He had a new fiddle and a pack of cards. 
He was a professed infidel. Card-playing was re- 
newed all over the cabin. The captain of the boat 
was as fond of drinking and card-playing as any of 
them. There was a lieutenant of the regular army 
on board, and although he was very wicked, yet he 
had been raised by religious parents. His wife, as 
he told me, was a good Christian. In walking the 
guard this lieutenant, whose name was Barker, and 
myself fell into conversation, and, being by ourselves, 
I took occasion to remonstrate with him on the sub- 
ject of his profanity. He readily admitted it was 
wrong, and said, ''I have been better taught. But 
0," said he, ^'the demoralizing life of a soldier !"' 

There was also a Major Biddle on board, a pro- 
fessed infidel, but gentlemanly in his manners; he 
afterward fell in a duel, in or near St. Louis. I got 
a chance to talk to him in private, and alone ; I re- 
monstrated against his profanity : he agreed with me 
in all I said. In this way I got to talk to many of 
them, and they mostly ceased to swear profanely in 
my presence. Presently they gathered around the 
table, and commenced playing cards ; I walked care- 
lessly up, and looked on. Lieutenant Barker and Cap- 
tain Waters looked up at me ; I knew they felt re- 
proved. Said one of them to me : " We are not black- 
legs ; we are not playing for money, but just to kill 
time." I afi'ected to be profoundly ignorant of what 
they were doing, and asked them what those little 
spotted things were. Mr. Barker said, 

" Sit down here, and I will show you what we are 
doing, and how we do it." 

"No, no," said I, "my friends; I am afraid it is all 
wronfj." 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 287 

They insisted there was no harm in it at all. 

" Well," said I, "gentlemen, if you are just playing 
for fun, or to kill time, would it not be much better 
to drop all such foolishness, and let us talk on some 
topic to inform each other? then we could all be 
edified. As it is, a few of you enjoy all the pleasure, 
if, indeed, there is any in it ; while the rest of us, who 
have no taste for such amusements, are not at all 
benefited. Come, lay aside those little spotted papers, 
that are only calculated to please children of a larger 
size, and let us talk on history, philosophy, or astron- 
omy; then we can all enjoy it, and be greatly bene- 
fited." 

Captain Waters said : " Sir, if you will debate with 
me on the Christian religion, we will quit all our 
cards, fiddles, and dances." 

"I will do it with pleasure. Captain," said I. "I 
have only one objection to debate with you. You are 
in the habit, I see, of swearing profanely, and using 
oaths, and I can't swear back at you; and I fear, a 
debate mixed up with profane oaths, would be un- 
profitable." 

"Well, sir," said he, "if you will debate with me 
on that subject, I will pledge you my word and 
honor that I will not swear a single oath." 

"Very well, sir," said I; "on that condition, I 
will debate with you." By this time there were 
gathered around us a large crowd. 

" Well," said Lieutenant Barker, " take notice of 
the terms on which this debate is to be conducted." 
Said he, "Now, gentlemen, draw near, and take 
your seats, and listen to the arguments ; and by the 
consent of the two belligerent gentlemen, I will keep 
order." 

We both agreed to his proposition. The Captain 



288 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

opened the discussion by a great flourisli of trumpets, 
expressing his great happiness at having one more 
opportunity of vindicating the religion of reason and 
nature, in opposition to the religion of a bastard. To 
all of these flourishes I simply replied, that the 
Christian religion was of age, and could speak for 
itself; and that I felt proud of an opportunity to 
show that infidelity was born out of holy wedlock; 
and, therefore, in the strictest sense, was a bastard, 
and that I thought it ill became the advocate of a 
notorious illegitimate to heap any reproaches on Christ. 
These exordiums had one good effect; they fixed and 
riveted the attention of almost all the passengers, the 
captain of the boat, ladies and all. My opponent 
then proceeded to lay down his premises and draw 
his conclusions. When his twenty minutes expired, 
I replied; and in my reply quoted a passage of 
Scripture. 

"Hold, sir," said my opponent, "I don't allow a 
book of fables and lies to be brought in ; nothing shall 
be admitted here but honorable testimony." 

" Very well, sir," said I ; " the Bible shall be dis- 
pensed with altogether as evidence; and then I feel 
confident I can overturn your system on testimony 
drawn from the book of nature;" and proceeded in 
the argument. 

In his second replication he quoted Tom Paine as 
evidence. 

"Hold, sir," said I; "such a degraded witness as 
Tom Paine can't be admitted as testimony in this de- 
bate." 

My opponent flew into a violent passion, and swore 
profanely, that God Almighty never made a purer 
and more honorable man than Tom Paine. As he 
belched forth these horrid oaths, I took him by the 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 289 

chill with my hand, and moved his jaws together, and 
made his teeth rattle together at a mighty rate. He 
rose to his feet, so did I. He drew his fist and swore 
he would smite me to the floor. Lieutenant Barker 
sprang in between us, saying, 

"Cartwright, stand back; you can beat him in 
argument, and I can whip him; and, if there is any 
fighting to be done, I am his man, from the point of a 
needle to the mouth of a cannon ; for he is no gentle- 
man, as he pledged his word and honor that he would 
not swear; and he has broken his word and forfeited 
his honor." 

Well, I had then to fly in between them, to prevent 
a bloody fight, for they both drew deadly weapons. 
Finally, this ended the argument. My valorous cap- 
tain made concessions, and all became pacified. From 
this out. Barker was my fast friend, and would have 
fought for me at any time ; and my infidel. Captain 
"Waters, became very friendly to me; and when we 
landed in the night at Louisville, he insisted that I 
should go home with him and partake of his very 
best hospitalities. 

But, to return a little to my narrative, the whole 
company that witnessed the encounter with my infi- 
del captain were interested in my favor. Our boat 
w^as old and crazy, and we made but little speed; 
consequently w^e were detained on the river over 
Sunday. Early on Sabbath morning, the passengers 
formed themselves into a kind of committee of the 
whole, and appointed a special committee to wait on 
me, and invite me to preach to them that day on the 
boat. Lieutenant Barker was the committee. He 
came to me, and presented the request. I said, 

" Lieutenant, I never traveled on a steamboat before, 
and it will be a very awkward affair for me to preach 

25 



290 AUTOBIOGKAPHY OF 

on the boat; and besides, I don't know that the cap- 
tain would like such an arrangement; and the pas- 
sengers will drink, and perhaps gamble, and be dis- 
orderly ; and every man on a steamboat is a free man, 
and will do pretty much as he pleases, and will not 
be reproved." 

Said the Lieutenant, " I have consulted the captain 
of the boat, and he is willing, and pledges himself to 
keep good order. And now, sir," said he, " we have 
annoyed you and your fellow-clergymen all the week, 
and I pledge you my word, all shall be orderly, and 
you shall enjoy your religious privileges on Sunday 
undisturbed, and you must preach to us. We need it, 
and the company will not be satisfied if you do n't 
comply." 

I gave my consent, and we fixed on the following 
times for three sermons : One immediately after the 
table was cleared off* after breakfast, one after dinner, 
and one after supper. I led the way, taking the 
morning hour. The cabin was seated in good order, 
the deck passengers were invited down. We had a 
very orderly, well-behaved congregation. Brother 
Dew preached in the afternoon, and brother Thomp- 
son at night, and I rarely ever spent a more orderly 
Sabbath any where within the walls of a church. 
From this out we had no more drunkenness, pro- 
fane swearing, or card-playing. What good was 
done, if any, the judgment day will alone declare. 
I can not close this sketch and do justice to my feel- 
ings without saying a few things more. 

After the adjournment of the General conference, 
on our return trip home, the river had fallen very 
much. We could not pass over the falls, and the 
canal was not finished around them. Of course we 
had to land and reship at the foot of the falls. The 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 291 

Maryland, a good steamboat, lay here waiting for 
passengers. When I entered this boat, almost the 
first man I met was Lieutenant Barker, who, when 
he recognized me, sprang forward and seized me 
by the hand, and said, "0, is this Mr. Cartwright?" 
and really seemed as glad to see me as if I had been 
his own brother. He had been on east, and was re- 
turning with his wife to some of the western military 
posts. 

"Now, sir," said he, "I told you I had a good 
little Christian woman for my wife. She is in the 
ladies' cabin. I have talked to her of you a thou- 
sand times. Come, you must go right in with me, 
and I will introduce her to you. I know she will 
be glad to see and form an acquaintance with you." 

I went, and was introduced to this, as I believe, 
Christian lady. We had a number of preachers on 
board, returning delegates from the General confer- 
ence, and we had preaching almost every day and 
night from that to St. Louis, for we had almost entire 
command of the boat. 



292 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER XX. 

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN CANADA. 

In the fall of 1828 our conference sat in Madison, 
Indiana, October 9th. This was the only annual con- 
ference that I ever missed attending in fifty years. 
My wife was sorely afilicted, and was supposed to be 
at the gates of death, so that I did not think it my 
duty to leave her, though a kind Providence spared 
her to me a little longer, and she still lives. I 
was reappointed to the Illinois district. The Oneida 
annual conference was formed at the General con- 
ference in May, 1828. This made nine annual con- 
ferences east, and eight west of the mountains. They 
had a membership in the nine eastern conferences 
of 270,210. In the east there were of traveling 
preachers 984. We had in the west, of traveling 
preachers, 519. Of members the west had 150,894. 
Total number of members, 421,104; of traveling 
preachers, 1,503. 

The New Hampshire and Vermont conference 
was formed in the interim, or between the General 
conferences of 1828 and 1832. It will also be re- 
membered that Canada had existed as a separate 
annual conference, and was in union, as a conference, 
with the Methodist Episcopal Church in these United 
States, and was regularly supplied with American 
preachers, and superintended by our American bish- 
ops. Being under the British laws, that established 
the Catholic Church in Lower Canada, and the Church 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 293 

of England in Upper Canada, our people, members, 
and preachers labored under many civil disabilities. 
They thought, under all the circumstances, that it 
would be better to be separated from the Methodist 
Episcopal Church in these United States, and organized 
into a distinct Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada; 
elect from among themselves a bishop, that should 
be resident among them ; and thereby avoid many of 
those disabilities that had fallen so heavily upon 
them, in consequence of being under the jurisdiction 
of American bishops. Accordingly, they petitioned 
the General conference of 1828, at Pittsburg, to set 
them oif as a separate and distinct Church ; but, after 
careful consideration and investigation, the General 
conference, with great unanimity, resolved that they 
were not vested with any constitutional power to 
divide the Methodist Episcopal Church ; and, there- 
fore, declined granting them their request; but said, 
if they really thought their civil disabilities were a 
burden too grievous to be borne, they would throw 
no difficulties in their way, but leave them to make 
their own choice, whether they would remain as an 
integral part of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 
the United States, or organize themselves into a sep- 
arate Church. They chose the latter first, and then 
merged themselves into the great Wesleyan connection 
of England. 

In this organization of the Canada Methodist Epis- 
copal Church many false statements have been made, 
alleging that the General conference of 1828, at 
Pittsburg, did divide the Church. But be it dis- 
tinctly remembered, that no official act of that General 
conference can be produced to establish the truth of 
this assertion ; so far from it, that directly the con- 
trary is the fact in this case ; and generally, those who 



294 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

affirm and publish this unreasonable falsehood, know 
that these statements are at war with truth, and they 
only resort to this subterfuge in order to justify the 
Southern disorganized secession from the Methodist 
Episcopal Church in 1844-45, and thereby claim an- 
other division of the Methodist Episcopal Church by 
the General conference of 1844. 

The organization of all Christian Churches is the 
voluntary association of individuals, under the accred- 
ited supervision of a Divinely-appointed ministry of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, and not a ministerial act sep- 
arate and apart from the voluntary choice of the in- 
dividual consent of the members that compose that 
Church. The ministerial act, asserted and maintained, 
in organizing a Church, independent of the choice of 
the individuals that compose that Church, is clearly 
'' lording it over God's heritage," and is a fearful fea- 
ture of Popery. And that this is the fact, in i eference 
to the Methodist Episcopal Church South, is as clear 
as a sunbeam; for there are thousands in the pale of 
that Church that are not there by choice, but of 
necessity of some kind. And there are many that are 
greatly entangled with slavery ; so much so, that if it 
had been left to their choice, they would have clung to 
the Methodist Episcopal Church with a dying grasp. 
And there are thousands, if they could obtain the min- 
isters of their choice, who would speedily return to the 
bosom of the Church, and hail with delight the privi- 
lege of being united again to their spiritual mother. 

How wicked it must be for those ministers of the 
Church South, to fabricate every kind of story, to 
hedge up the way of our ministers, who, from the 
purest and most benevolent feelings, go into the 
slave states, simply to gather the poor destitute mem- 
bers of our Church, as a matter of benevolent duty! 



PETER CARXAVRIGHT. 295 

They cry, ^' Cliurch, North," ^'Abolitionism," when they 
know that most of our preachers are not abolitionists, 
but occupy the very -ground our venerable fathers 
and founders occupied before they were born. They 
as good as murdered the lamented Kelly, who died 
from the abuse he received from the blood-stained 
hands of his persecutors, urged on by those very pro- 
slavery pretended ministers. Many of them greatly 
rejoice, and triumph over having gained the Church 
suits by the unholy, not to say bribed judges. Mark 
ye ! the blighting curse of God will follow these un- 
godly and unjust gains ; and the time will come, when 
the visible disapprobation of a just and holy God will 
be manifest to all men. 

There is one circumstance that befell me at the 
General conference at Pittsburg in 1828, that I wish 
briefly to state ; but, for the sake of honorable feelings, 
I must be sparing of names. Brother Waterman, 
who was considerably radicalized, had the duty as- 
signed him of billeting out the preachers among the 
families that had agreed to take care of them during 
the General conference. When I arrived in Pitts- 
burg I went to brother Waterman to know where I 
was to stay, and he gave me a ticket to a gentle- 
man's house in Alleghany Town ; he was nominally a 
ruffle-shirted Methodist; he was rich, and abounded 
in almost all the good things of this w^orld. His lady 
was a very genteel, fine, fashionable w^oman, but a 
stiff-starched Presbyterian ; so I was told. One of the 
bishops was stationed here, and two D. D.'s, both 
preachers. I, of course, very confidently made my 
way to this gentleman's house. As I approached the 
dwelling I cast my eye upward, and through a win- 
dow I saw the bishop and another preacher sitting 
in an upper room. When I reached the portico the 



296 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

gentleman met me at the entrance. Addressing him, 
I said: 

"Does Colonel live here?" 

''Yes, sir." 

"Brother Waterman informed me, as one of the 
delegates to the General conference, that I was to 
board with you during the conference; my name is 
Peter Cartwright; I hail from Illinois." 

"Yes, sir," said he, seriously; "we had intended 
to take four of the preachers, but my wife thinks she 

can't take but two, and Bishop and Dr. are 

here already, and we can't accommodate you." 

I felt a little curious, but so foolish was I, that I 
hastily concluded that the thing was a trick, played 
off to plague me. He never invited me in. 

"Well," said I, ''1 must see the Bishop any how, 
and I reckon you '11 let me stay;" so in I went. After 
entering, 

"Please, sir," said I, "direct me to the Bishop's 
room." He did so, and up I went, and ushered myself 
into his magisterial presence. After the accustomed 
salutations, which I thought came from the Bishop 
with unusual coolness, I said to him : 

"And is it so that I am not to stay here after 
brother Waterman has sent me?" 

"Too true, too true," said he; "the lady of the 
house is not a Methodist, and says she is not willing 
to take but two." 

The reader may be sure I began to feel bad at a 
mighty rate; the Bishop seated himself, and began to 
WTite, looking dry, sour, and cool, but paid no fur- 
ther attention to me. 1 took my hat, and started 
down stairs in a mighty hurry, gathered my saddle- 
bags, and started off. Just as I mounted the steps 
leavino; his ornamented lot, the landlord hailed me, 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 297 

and requested me to stop. He came near, and in a 
cold, stiff manner, informed me that his wife had con- 
cluded that I might stay, and invited me to return. 

" No, sir," said I, " it is too late ; I can't, under 
the circumstances, return ; I have money enough to 
pay my way ; and I had rather pay my way than to be 
treated as I have been." 

''But," said the gentleman, "you must not leave 
my house in this way ; it will be a great reproach to 
me and my family." 

" Yes, sir," said I, " you ought to have thought of 
that sooner." 

"Well," he asked, "where are you going?" 

"To a tavern," said I, "if I can find an orderly 
one." 

So on I went. After proceeding some distance I 
saw a tavern sign, and went in, and after looking 
around a little, I said to the tavern-keeper : 

" Can I board with you for a month, and be accom- 
modated with a private room ?" 

He said I could. 

" Do you keep an orderly house, or shall I be an- 
noyed by drunkards and gamblers ?" 

"My house, sir," said he, "is kept orderly; you 
shall not be annoyed by any rude company whatever. 
Be seated, sir," said he ; "you shall have a room fitted 
up directly. I judge," said he, "you are one of the 
delegates to the General conference." 

" Yes, sir, I am," was my reply. 

Said he, " Mr. Waterman was to have sent me two 
preachers, but none have come, unless you are one 
assigned me." 

"No, sir, I am not sent; I come on my own re- 
sponsibility." 

Said he, " I am a member of no Church, but my 



298 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

wife is a Methodist, and she will be glad for you to 
stay with us." 

I soon began to feel that I had got into another at- 
mosphere. I fared well, was treated kindly, and had 
nothing to pay. 

Shortly after I had settled down, the landlord of 
my first place sought me out, and entreated me to 
return to his house. He said his wife had fitted up a 
comfortable room, and desired me to return. 

"No, sir," said I, "I shall not do it; I am not de- 
pendent on you or yours at all, and I am well provid- 
ed for here, and I mean to stay." 

He went home, and sent to invite me back 

again. The messenger said I ought to return; that 
the family were very much mortified at the circum- 
stance that had taken place. I told him that I felt 
under no obligations to him or -them ; that they had 
treated me very cavalierly, and I should abide my 
determination not to return ; but by invitation I visited 
them, and staid with them some; but I think I efiect- 
ally humbled their pride for once. 

I was at this first place several evenings ; but every 
thing seemed to come wrong. The bishop seemed 
as cold as an icicle, and as stiff in his manners as if 
he had been the autocrat of all the Russias. I felt 
that there was not the least congeniality in them, and 
that I was alone in such company. The time of even- 
ing devotions came on. The master of ceremonies 
asked me to lead the devotions; but the moment 
I was requested to do so, it appeared to me that thick 
darkness fell on me, and if ever I felt the power of 
the devil physically and mentally, it was just then. 
I turned almost blind, literally blind, and the great 
drops of sweat rolled off my face. I was so blind I 
feared I could not see to read a chapter, hence I 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 299 

turned to the first Psalm, which I could, and had, 
repeated often by memory ; but I found my memory 
as defective as my sight, and surely, memory, sight, 
and all gone, I made a very stammering out at repeat- 
ing the first Psalm ; but I stammered over it in some 
sort. My voice was usually clear in those days, 
and I could sing tolerably well. I rose and com- 
menced singing a verse of one of our familiar hymns, 
but not a soul in the crowd, by name or nature, 
would sing with me. . I stopped short, and kneeled 
down to pray, but in all my life I was never in a 
worse plight to pray but once, and that was the first 
time my leader called on me to pray in public after 
I had professed religion. I then thought my head 
was as large as a house, and I now thought I 
had no head at all. It seemed to me that the 
devil was veritably present, and all around, and in 
every body and every thing. I stammered over a 
few incoherent sentences, and closed by saying 
"Amen." And you may rely on it, while in this 
wretched state of feeling, and before I was delivered 
from the hour and power of temptation, I felt as 
though the devil reigned triumphant, and had a 
bill of sale of us all. The next day, when the General 
conference adjourned, at noon, the presiding bishop 
called on me to close by prayer. 0, how awful I felt ! 
I fell on my knees and uttered only a few words, and 
said "Amen" before one half of the preachers had 
fairly got on their knees. They looked round and 
scuffled up, and looked queer ; and I assure you I have 
no language at my command by which I could de- 
scribe my feelings, for I felt " unutterable woe." This 
state of bad feelings lasted during a whole week. 

One night I heard of a prayer meeting near by 
where I lodged. I determined to go ; and it pleased 



300 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

God that night to roll back the clouds that had covered 
me in such thick darkness. I was very happy, and 
the next evening hastened to the house where I 
had made such a dreadful out in reading, singing, and 
praying. It so happened that when the family got 
ready for prayer, and sent up for the preachers to 
come down, they were all very much engaged in fin- 
ishing an interesting report. The bishop said he could 
not go, and that he wished some one would go and 
hold prayer with the family, and let the rest stay. I 
spoke up and said, " Let me go, for I feel so much 
better than I did when I tried to pray with them be- 
fore, I want to go and try again." He bade me go. 
I went, took the book, read a chapter readily, sung 
a hymn clearly, knelt and prayed with more than my 
accustomed liberty, and got happy. The family wept. 
We talked, wept, and sung together, and I felt as 
independent of the devil and a stiff bishop as if there 
were no such beings in the world. 

When the General conference adjourned, and I 
had started for the steamboat, the landlady that I 
thought was so stiff, formal, and proud, followed me to 
the boat, and sent by me a present of a silk dress to 
my wife. Why this dispensation of darkness should 
be permitted to fall on me I can not tell, but there is 
no doubt on my mind there was a special Provi- 
dence in it, if I only understood the matter; but I 
leave all to the revelations of the great day of judg- 
ment. " The Lord reigneth." 

At our conference, in the fall of 1828, Galena 
charge was added to the Illinois district; so that my 
district reached nearly from the mouth of the Ohio 
river to Galena, the extreme north-west corner of the 
state, altogether six hundred miles long. This was a 
tremendous field of travel and labor. Around this 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 301 

district I had to travel four times in the year, and I 
had many rapid streams to cross, mostly without 
bridges or ferry-boats. Many of these streams, when 
they were swollen, and I had to cross them to get to 
my quarterly meetings, I would strike for some point 
of timber, and traverse up and down the stream till 
I could find a drift or a tree fallen across. I would 
then dismount, strip myself and horse, carry my 
clothes and riding apparatus across on the fallen tree 
or drift, and then "return and mount my horse, plunge 
in and swim over, dress, saddle my horse, and go on 
my way, from point to point of timber, without roads. 
Often night would overtake me in some lonesome, 
solitary grove. I would hunt out some suitable place, 
strike fire, for I always went prepared with flint, steel, 
and spunk, make as good a fire as circumstances called 
for, tie up or hopple out my horse, and there spend 
the night. Sometimes, in traveling from point to 
point of timber, darkness would come upon me be- 
fore I could reach, by miles, the woods, and it being 
so dark that I could not see the trees I was aiming for, 
I would dismount and hold my horse by the bridle till 
returning light, then mount my horse, and pursue my 
journey. 

The northern part of my district was newly settled; 
and where it was settled at all, a few scattered cabins, 
with families in them, were all that could be looked 
for or expected in a vast region of the north end 
of my district; and I assure my readers that when I 
came upon one of these tenanted cabins, in those long 
and lonesome trips, it was a great treat, and I have 
felt as truly thankful to God to take shelter in one of 
those little shanties and get the privilege of a night's 
lodging, as I have, under other circumstances, been 
when I have lodged in a fine house, with all the com- 



302 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

forts of life around me. I recollect in one of my 
northern trips, I had a very large a,nd uninhabited 
prairie to cross; about midway across the prairie, 
twenty miles from any house, I came to a deep and 
turbid stream ; twenty miles beyond was the point I 
was aiming for that day. The stream looked ugly and 
forbidding. I was mounted on a fine large horse, and 
I knew him to be an excellent swimmer. I hesitated 
for a moment. To retrace my steps I could not con- 
sent to, and if I advanced, a swim, on my horse, was 
to be performed, no timber being in sight. I got 
down, readjusted my saddle, girded it tolerably tight, 
tied my overcoat on behind, put my watch and pocket 
papers in my saddle-bags, and then tied them around 
my neck, letting the ends rest on my shoulders, and 
said, "Now, Buck " — that was the name of my horse — 
" carry me safe to the other bank." In we went ; he 
swam over easily, and rose on the opposite bank safely. 
I readjusted my affairs, and went on my way rejoic- 
ing, and was not wet but a trifle. Three times this 
day I swam my horse across swollen streams, and 
made the cabin I was aiming for. Here lived a kind 
Methodist family, who gave me a hearty welcome; 
gave me good meat and bread, and a strong cup of 
coffee, and I was much happier than many of the 
kings of the earth. I arrived safe at my quarterly 
meeting. All the surrounding citizens had turned out, 
twenty-seven in number. We had five conversions; 
seven joined the Church; and we were nearly all 
happy together. 

In one of those northern trips I was earnestly solic- 
ited to cross the Mississippi and preach to the few 
new settlers near what is now called Burlington 
City, on the west of the father of waters. My son- 
in-law, Wm. D. R. Trotter, perhaps was the first 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 303 

traveling preacher who broke ground in the Iowa 
state, and I followed a short time afterward. I had 
sent them an appointment to hold a two days' meet- 
ing, just back of where Burlington City stands. Then 
there were only a few cabins in the place ; now it is a 
growing city, containing, perhaps, ten thousand souls. 

When I went to my appointment, although there 
was but a scattered population, yet when they came 
out to meeting the cabins were so small that there 
was not one in the whole settlement which would 
hold the people. We repaired to the grove, and 
hastily prepared seats. Years before this time an 
old tree had fallen down across a small sapling and 
bent it near the earth. The sapling was not killed, 
and the top of it shot up straight beside the tree that 
had fallen on it, and it had grown for years in 
this condition. The old tree had been cut oiF, and 
they scalped the bark off of that part of the sapling 
that lay parallel with the ground. They drove a 
stake down, and nailed a board to it, and the top of 
the sapling that grew erect, and this was my hand- 
board, and I stood on that part of the sapling that 
lay near and level with the ground. This was my 
pulpit, from which I declared the unsearchable 
riches of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and we had a 
good meeting. 

On the 23d of August, 1828, one of our beloved 
bishops, Enoch George, fell a victim to death. He 
had been an itinerant preacher thirty-eight years, and 
had honorably discharged the duties of a bishop in 
the ' Methodist Episcopal Church for twelve years. 
One has said of him, "Bishop George was a man of 
deep piety, of great simplicity of manners, a very pa- 
thetic, powerful, and successful preacher; greatly be- 
loved in life, and very extensively lamented in death.'* 



304 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

The Illinois conference met this fall — September 
18, 1829 — at Edwardsville. Our country was rap- 
idly filling up, our work constantly enlarging, and 
Bishop Eoberts, at conference in Vincennes, Sep- 
tember 30, 1830, found it necessary to divide the cir- 
cuits, and multiply the presiding-elder districts. The 
following new districts were formed in the bounds of 
the Illinois conference, namely: the Illinois district 
was divided into two — the Kaskaskia and Sangamon 
districts. The Kaskaskia district embraced the fol- 
lowing appointments : Kaskaskia, Brownsville, Jones- 
boro, Golconda, Mount Vernon, Shoal creek, and 
Shelbyville, in all seven. The Sangamon district 
embraced the following appointments: Lebanon, Ap- 
ple creek. Atlas, Spoon river, Sangamon, Salt creek, 
Peoria, Fox River mission, and Galena mission, nine. 
Samuel H. Thompson was appointed to the Kaskas- 
kia district, and I was appointed to the Sangamon 
district. This district still covered a large field of la- 
bor, embracing from opposite St. Louis to the north- 
ern limits of the state. 

Within the bounds of this district there lived a local 
preacher, who was a small, very easy, good-natured, 
pleasant man ; he was believed to be also a very pious 
man, and a good and useful preacher. His wife was 
directly the reverse of almost every thing that was 
good, saving it was believed she was virtuous. She 
was high-tempered, overbearing, quarrelsome, and a 
violent opposer of religion. She would not fix her hus- 
band's clothes to go out and preach, and was unwilling 
he should ask a blessing at the table, or pray in the 
family. And when he would attempt to pray, she 
would not conform, but tear around and make all the 
noise and disturbance in her power. She would 
turn the chairs over while he was reading, singing, 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 305 

or praying, and if she could not stop him any other 
way, she would catch a cat and throw it in his face 
while he was kneeling and trying to pray. Poor 
little man! surely he was tormented almost to des- 
peration. He had invited several preachers home 
with him to talk to her, and see if they could not 
moderate her ; but all to no purpose ; she would curse 
them to their face, and rage like a demon. He had 
insisted on my going home with him several times, 
but I frankly confess I was afraid to trust myself. I 
pitied him from my very heart, and so did every body 
else that was acquainted with his situation. But at 
length I yielded to his importunities, and went home 
with him one evening, intending to stay all night. 
After we arrived I saw in a minute that she was mad, 
and the devil was in her as large as an alligator ; and 
I fixed my purpose, and determined on my course. 
After supper he said to her very kindly, " Come, wife, 
stop your little afi*airs, and let us have prayer." That 
moment she boiled over, and said, " I will have none 
of your praying about me." I spoke to her mildly, 
and expostulated with her, and tried to reason; but 
no, the further I went the more wrathful she became, 
and she cursed me most bitterly. I then put on a 
stern countenance, and said to her, " Madam, if you 
were a wife of mine, I would break you of your bad 
ways, or I would break your neck." 

" The devil you would !" said she. " Yes, you are 
a pretty Christian, an't you ?" And then such a vol- 
ley of curses as she poured on me, was almost beyond 
human endurance. 

" Be still," said I ; "we must and will have prayer." 
But she declared we should not. 

" Now," said I to her, " if you do not be still, and 
behave yourself, I '11 put you out of doors." At this 
26 



306 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

she clinched her fist, and swore she was one-half alli- 
gator, and the other half snapping-turtle, and that it 
would take a better man than I was to put her out. 
It was a small cabin we were in, and we were not far 
from the door, which was then standing open. I caught 
her by the arm, and swinging her round in a circle, 
brought her right up to the door, and shoved her out. 
She jumped up, tore her hair, foamed; and such 
swearing as she uttered was seldom equaled, and 
never surpassed. The door, or shutter of the door, 
was very strongly made to keep out hostile Indians ; 
I shut it tight, barred it, and went to prayer, and I 
prayed as best I could, but I have no language at my 
command to describe my feelings ; at the same time, 
I was determined to conquer, or die in the attempt. 
While she was raging and foaming in the yard and 
around the cabin, I started a spiritual song, and sung 
loud, to drown her voice as much as possible. The 
five or six little children ran and squatted about and 
crawled under the beds. Poor things, they were 
scared almost to death. 

I sang on, and she roared and thundered on outside, 
till she became perfectly exhausted, and panted for 
breath. At length, when she had spent her force, she 
became calm and still, and then knocked at the door, 
saying, ^' Mr. Cartwright, please let me in." 

" Will you behave yourself if I let you in ?" said I. 

" yes," said she, " I will ;" and throwing myself 
on my guard, and perfectly self-possessed, I opened 
the door, took her by the hand, led her in, and seated 
her near the fireplace. She had roared and foamed 
till she was in a high perspiration, and looked pale as 
death. After she took her seat, " 0," said she, " what 
a fool I am !" 

" Yes," said I, " about one of the biggest fools I 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 307 

ever saw in all my life. And now," said I, '' you 
have to repent for all this, or you must go to the devil 
at last." She was silent. Said I, " Children, come 
out here; your mother won't hurt you now," and 
turning to her husband, said, '^ Brother C, let us 
pray again." We kneeled down, and both prayed. 
She was as quiet as a lamb. 

And now, gentle reader, although this was one of 
the hardest cases I ever saw on this earth, I must 
record it to the glory of Divine grace, I lived to see, 
in less than six months after this frolic with the devil, 
this woman soundly converted to God, and if there was 
ever a changed mortal for the better, it was this said 
woman. Her children, as they grew up, all, I believe, 
obtained religion, and the family became a religious, 
happy family, and she was as bold in the cause of God 
as she had been in the cause of the wicked one. 

When I came to the county of Sangamon in 1824, 
and rode the Sangamon circuit in 1825-26, Spring- 
field, our present seat of government for the state^ 
was a very small village. Even the county seat was 
not located at it, and for several years there was no 
regular society of any denomination organized there 
save the Methodist. We had a respectable society in 
point of numbers and religious moral character, but 
they were generally very poor. There was no meet- 
ing-house or church in the place. We preached in 
private houses almost altogether for several years. 
The first Presbyterian minister who came to the 
town, that I have any recollection of, was by the 

name of . He was a very well-educated man, 

and had regularly studied theology in some of the 
eastern states, where they manufacture young preach- 
ers like they do lettuce in hot-houses. He brought 
with him a number of old manuscript sermons, and 



308 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

read them to the people ; but as to common sense, he 
had very little, and he was almost totally ignorant of 
the manners and usages of the world, especially this 
new w^estern world; yet he came here to evangelize 
and Christianize us poor heathen. He did not meet 
with much encouragement, but he certainly was a 
pious, good man, much devoted to prayer. He came 
to my appointments, and we became acquainted. 
He, in part, traveled with me round my circuit, 
anxious to get acquainted with the people, and 
preach to them. He soon saw and felt that he had 
no adaptation to the country or people. I told him 
he must quit reading his old manuscript sermons, and 
learn to speak extemporaneously; that the western 
people were born and reared in hard times, and were 
an out-spoken and off-hand people ; that if he did not 
adopt this manner of preaching, the Methodists would 
set the whole western world on fire before he w^ould 
light his match. He tried it a while, but became dis- 
couraged, and left for parts unknown. 

Shortly after this others came in, but still there 
was no church in the town of Springfield to worship 
in for any denomination. The Methodists were poor, 
the Presbyterians few, and not very wealthy. At 
length the citizens put up a small school-house, which 
was appropriated to religious purposes on the Sabbath, 
but it was often attended with difiiculty, as different 
ministers of different denominations would make their 
appointments in this little school-house, and their 
appointments would often come together and clash. 
This was attended with no good results, and at length 
a proposition was made for the Methodists and Pres- 
byterians to unite and build a church between them, 
and define each denomination's time of occupancy 
and legal rights in the church till such time as one 



PKTER CART WRIGHT. 309 

or the other could be able to build separately, and 
then sell out to the other denomination. A subscrip- 
tion was set on foot, and five or six hundred dollars 
subscribed. 

Thinking all was right, I left to fill my appoint- 
ments ; but when the deed to this property was to be 
made, it was settled on Presbyterian trustees^ and the 
Methodists only occupied it by grace. There was a 
very honest old gentleman, who was an intelligent 
lawyer, that had not subscribed any thing, but intend- 
ed to; but he wanted equal rights and privileges se- 
cured to the Methodists, though he himself was a Uni- 
versalist. He saw how things were driving, and sent 
for me. I went, and, on examination, found that the 
agreement between the two denominations was violated 
in the deed. I expostulated with them, but all in 
vain ; they persisted. I then went, and immediately 
drew up a subscription to build a Methodist church, 
and subscribed seventy-five dollars. My old honest 
lawyer told me he would either give two lots in the 
new town, above where the most of the town then was, 
or he would give fifty dollars. I took the two lots, on 
which the Methodist church now stands. 

The Presbyterians went on and built the little brick 
shanty that, stands near where the first Presbyterian 
church now stands, and in one day I obtained about 
six hundred dollars, and the Methodists built their old 
frame meeting-house that stood as a monument of 
their covetousness for many years, and, indeed, till 
lately, when they saw their folly, and now have a 
fine church. But still they ought to have at least two 
more good churches in a city containing ten thousand 
souls, and constantly increasing in population, and, 
undoubtedly, is destined to become a large inland city, 
and, from its central position and railroad facilities. 



310 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF 

will, in a very few years, contain fifty thousand inhab- 
itants. 

The securing of those two lots at an early day in 
Springfield, clearly shows the sound policy of taking 
early measures in every new country, city, town, vil- 
lage, and prospectively strong settlement, to secure 
lots for churches and parsonages when they can be 
obtained at a nominal price, and often as a donation. 
Our people and preachers are often too negligent in 
this very thing. They wait till lots rise in value^ and 
sometimes have to give for a suitable one, on which 
to build a church or parsonage, as much as would 
erect a decent house in which to worship God. The 
two lots above named were, by their owner, valued 
at fifty dollars. They would now sell, I suppose, for 
seven or eight thousand dollars. They wdll soon be 
in the heart of the city, and are as beautiful lots, for 
church purposes, as are to be found in the city. 

A few years ago our beloved Bishop Janes, in a 
visit to Springfield, saw clearly its rapid growth, and 
the slowness of the members of the Church in that 
place in regard to church extensions, and he advised, 
and organized, through the mission committee, the 
establishment of a mission in Springfield. But such 
was the short-sighted policy of many of the members 
of the Church belonging to the old charge, that they 
directly and indirectly opposed the establishment of 
this mission. But, through the strong and persevering 
efforts of the missionaries and the superintendent of 
the mission, we succeeded in procuring a lot and 
erecting a neat little mission church at a cost of 
something hke twenty-seven hundred dollars. 

When the church was finished, it was in debt some 
four hundred dollars, and instead of the members of 
the old charge, and the mission charge, making an 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 311 

effort to pay this indebtedness, they suffered the 
church to be sold for less than three hundred dollars ; 
and even the members of the old charge devised a 
plan to buy it in, and diverted it from its original 
purpose of a church to an academy, for the benefit 
of the old charge ; and, consequently, our mission was 
blown out, our labor, for from two to four years, lost, 
and, in open violation of the provisions of the Discipline 
of the Church, the mission property was converted 
from Church to academical purposes; and a house 
and lot, that had cost near three thousand dollars, 
was thus sacrificed for a debt of less than three hun- 
dred dollars. This very transaction will stand out to 
future generations as evidence of the folly and stu- 
pidity of the members of the Methodist Church in 
Springfield, and will bar our approach to the citizens 
for years to come, when we desire to solicit aid to 
erect houses of worship in our metropolis. 

Somewhere about this time, in 1829-30, the cele- 
brated camp meeting took place in Sangamon county 
and circuit ; and, as I suppose, out of incidents that then 
occurred was concocted that wonderful story about 
my fight with Mike Fink, which has no foundation in 
fact. We had this year two fine camp meetings on 
the same ground, a few weeks apart; at the first, it 
was thought over one hundred professed religion, 
and most of them joined the Methodist Church. At 
the second camp meeting, over seventy joined the 
Church. Our encampment was large, and well seat- 
ed; and we erected a large shed, that would, it was 
supposed, shelter a thousand people. The story to 
which I have alluded was published in " The National 
Magazine," and brother Finley's Autobiography. It 
originated, I believe, in a paper, published in New 
York, called *'The Sunday Times;" from this paper 



812 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

it has been republished almost all round the Union. 
I would not care about the publication of this story 
by the secular press, if it had not found its way into 
our religious papers. One of the editors of one of our 
religious papers, who had published it, in reply to a 
letter of mine complaining of the caricature, and 
correcting some of the wrong statements, said, "It 
was good enough for me; and that if I would not 
publish a true history of my life, it was no matter if 
others published a false one." 

While I was on the Sangamon district I rode one 
day into Springfield, on some little business. My 
horse had been an excellent racking pony, but now 
had the stifi" complaint. I called a few minutes in a 
store, to get some little articles ; I saw in the store 
two young men and a young lady ; they were strangers, 
and we had no introduction whatever; they passed 
out, and off. After I had transacted my little busi- 
ness in the store, I mounted my stiff pony, and 
started for home. After riding nearly two miles, I 
discovered ahead of me a light, two-horse wagon, 
with a good span of horses hitched to the wagon ; and 
although it was covered, yet the cover was rolled up. 
It was warm weather, and I saw in the wagon those 
two young men and the young lady that I had seen 
in the store. As I drew near them, they began to sing 
one of our camp meeting songs, and they appeared to 
sing with great animation. Presently the young lady 
began to shout, and said, " Glory to God ! Glory to 
God!" the driver cried out, "Amen! Glory to God!" 

My first impressions were, that they had been 
across the Sangamon river to a camp meeting that I 
knew was in progress there, and had obtained religion, 
and were happy. As I drew a little nearer, the 
young lady began to sing and shout again. The 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 313 

young man who was not driving fell down, and cried 
aloud for mercy; the other two, shouting at the top 
of their voices, cried out, " Glory to God ! another 
sinner 's down." Then they fell to exhorting the young 
man that was down, saying, ^'Pray on, brother; pray 
on, brother; you will soon get religion." Presently 
up jumped the young man that was down, and shouted 
aloud, saying, *' God has blessed my soul. Halleluiah ! 
halleluiah! Glory to God!" 

Thinking all was right, I felt like riding up, and 
joining in the songs of triumph and shouts of joy that 
rose from these three happy persons ; but as I neared 
the wagon, I saw some glances of their eyes at each 
other, and at me, that created a suspicion in my 
mind that all was not right; and the thought oc- 
curred to me that they suspected or knew me to be 
a preacher, and that they were carrying on in this 
way to make a mock of sacred things, and to fool me. 
I checked my horse, and fell back, and rode slowly, 
hoping they would pass on, and that I should not be 
annoyed by them any more ; but when I checked my 
horse and went slow, they checked up and went slow 
too, and the driver changed with the other young man ; 
then they began again to sing and shout at a mighty 
rate, and down fell the first driver, and up went a 
new shout of " Glory to God ! another sinner 's down. 
Pray on, brother; pray on, brother; the Lord will bless 
you." Presently up sprang the driver, saying, " Glory 
to God! he has blessed me." And both the others 
shouted, and said, "Another sinner 's converted, another 
sinner's converted. Halleluiah! glory to God!" Arush 
of indignant feeling came all over me, and I thought 
I would ride up and horsewhip both of these young 
men ; and if the woman had not been in company, I 
thhik I should have done so ; but I forbore. It was a 

27 



314 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

vexatious encounter ; if my horse had been fleet, as in 
former days, I could have rode right off, and left 
them in their glory, but he was stiff, and when I 
would fall back and go slow, they would check up ; 
and when I would spur my stiff pony, and try to get 
ahead of them, they would crack the whip and keep 
ahead of me ; and thus they tormented me before, as 
I thought, my time, and kept up a continual roar of 
" Another sinner 's down ! Another soul 's converted ! 
Glory to God ! Pray on, brother ! Halleluiah ! hal- 
leluiah! Glory to God!" till I thought it was more 
than any good preacher ought to bear. 

It would be hard for me to describe my feelings 
just about this time. It seemed to me that I was 
delivered over to be tormented by the devil and his 
imps. Just at this moment I thought of a desperate 
mud-hole about a quarter of a mile ahead; it was a 
long one, and dreadful deep mud, and many wagons 
had stuck in it, and had to be prized out. Near the 
center of this mud-hole there was a place of mud 
deeper than any where else. On the right stood a 
stump about two feet high; all the teams had to be 
driven as close to the stump as possible to avoid a 
deep rut on the left, where many wagons had stuck ; 
I knew there was a small bridle way that wound 
round through the brush to avoid the mud, and it 
occurred to me that when we came near this muddy 
place I would take the bridle way, and put my horse 
at the top of his speed, and by this means get away 
from these wretched tormentors, as I knew they could 
not go fast through this long reach of mud. When 
we came to the commencement of the mud I took 
the bridle path, and put spurs and whip to my horse. 
Seeing I was rapidly leaving them in the rear, the 
driver cracked his whip, and put his horses at almost 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 315 

full speed, and such was their anxiety to keep up 
with me, to carry out their sport, that when they 
came to this bad place they never saw the stump on 
the right. The fore wheel of the wagon struck cen- 
trally on the stump, and as the wheel mounted the 
stump, over went the w^agon. Fearing it would turn 
entirely over and catch them under, the two young 
men took a leap into the mud, and when they lighted 
they sunk up to the middle. The young lady was 
dressed in white, and as the wagon went over, she 
sprang as far as she could, and lighted on all-fours ; 
her hands sunk into the mud up to her armpits, her 
mouth and the whole of her face immersed in the 
muddy water, and she certainly would have strangled 
if the young men had not relieved her. As they 
helped her up and out, I had wheeled my horse to 
see the fun. I rode up to the edge of the mud, 
stopped my horse, reared in my stirrups, and shouted 
at the top of my voice, 

" Glory to God ! glory to God ! halleluiah ! another 
sinner 's down ! glory to God ! halleluiah ! glory ! 
halleluiah!" 

If ever mortals felt mean, these youngsters did; 
and well they might, for they had carried on all this 
sport to make light of religion, and to insult a minis- 
ter, a total stranger to them. But they contemned 
religion, and hated the Methodists, especially Meth- 
odist preachers. 

When I became tired of shouting over them, I said 
to them : 

" Now, you poor, dirty, mean sinners, take this as a 
just judgment of God upon you for your meanness, 
and repent of your dreadful wickedness ; and let 
this be the last time that you attempt to insult a 
preacher; for if you repeat your abominable sport 



316 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

and persecutions, the next time God will serve you 
worse, and the devil will get you." 

They felt so badly that they never uttered one 
word of reply. Now I was very glad that I did not 
horsewhip them, as I felt like doing ; but that God had 
avenged his own cause, and defended his own honor 
without my doing it with carnal weapons ; and I may 
here be permitted to say, at one of these prosperous 
camp meetings named in this chapter, I had the great 
pleasure to see all three of these young people con- 
verted to God. I took them into the Methodist 
Church, and they went back to Ohio happy in God. 
They were here on a visit among their relations from 
that state, and went home with feelings very different 
from those they possessed when they left. 

There is another small incident connected with 
these two prosperous camp meetings before named. 
There was a great and good work going on in our 
congregation from time to time; and on Sunday 
there were a great many from Springfield, and all 
the surrounding country. A great many professors 
of religion in other Churches professed to wish their 
children converted, but still they could not trust them 
at a Methodist meeting, especially a camp meeting. 
A great many of these young people attended the 
camp meetings, and on Sunday the awful displays of 
Divine power were felt to the utmost verge of the 
congregation. When I closed my sermon I invited 
mourners to the altar, and there was a mighty shak- 
ing among the dry bones ; many came forward, and 
among the rest there were many young ladies 
whose parents were members of a sister Church ; 
two in particular of these young ladies came into 
the altar. Their mother was present ; and when she 
heard her daughters were kneeling at the altar of 



PETER CAllT WRIGHT. 317 

God, praying for mercy, she sent an elder of her 
Church to bring them out. When he came to tell 
them their mother had sent for them, they refused to 
go. He then took hold of them, and said they must 
go. I then took hold of him, and told him they should 
not go, and that if that was his business, I wanted 
him to leave the altar instantly. He left, and re- 
ported to their mother; and while we were kneeling 
all round the altar, and praying for the mourners, 
the mother in a great rage rushed in. When she 
came, all were kneeling around, and there was no 
place for her to get in to her daughters. As I knelt 
and was stooping down, talking, and encouraging the 
mourners, this lady stepped on my shoulders, and 
rushed right over my head. As, in a fearful rage, 
she took hold of her daughters to take them out by 
force, I took hold of her arm, and tried to reason 
with her, but I might as well have reasoned with a 
whirlwind. She said she would have them out at 
the risk of her life. 

" They are my daughters," said she, " and they shall 
come out." 

Said I to her, "This is my altar and my meeting, 
and I say, these girls shall not be taken out." 

She seized hold of them again. I took hold of her, 
and put her out of the altar, and kept her out. Both 
of these young ladies professed religion, but they were 
prevented by their mother from joining the Meth- 
odists. She compelled them to join her Church, 
sorely against their will. They married in their 
mother's Church, but I fear they were hindered for 
life, if not finally lost. 

I have often thought of the thousands who have 
been awakened and converted under Methodist preach- 
ing, but, from the prejudice of their husbands, wives, 



318 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

parents, or children, and friends, have been influenced 
to join another branch of the Church. What a fear- 
ful account will many have to give who, through prej- 
udice or bigotry, have opposed their relatives or friends 
in joining the Church of their choice; if these souls are 
lost, who will have to answer for it at the bar of God? 
"Lord, we saw some casting out devils in thy name, 
and we forbade them, because they followed not 
us." "Forbid them not," was the reply of our Sav- 
ior; "for there is no man can do a miracle in my 
name, and speak lightly of me." Let us be careful on 
this subject, for the loss of a soul is a fearful consider- 
ation to all. 

We had a camp meeting in Morgan county, San- 
gamon district. While I was on this district the fol- 
lowing remarkable providence occurred: There were 
large congregations from time to time, many awakened 
and converted to God, fifty joined the Church. G. 
W. Teas, now a traveling preacher in the Iowa con- 
ference, made the fiftieth person that joined the 
Church. We had worship for several days and nights. 
On Monday, just after we dismissed for dinner, there 
was a very large limb of a tree that stood on the side 
of the ground allotted for the ladies, which, without wind 
or any other visible cause, broke loose and fell, with 
a mighty crash, right in among the ladies' seats ; but as 
the Lord would direct it, there was not a woman or 
child there when the limb fell. If it had fallen at any 
time while the congregation was collected, it must 
have killed more than a dozen persons. Just in the 
south of Morgan, near Lynnville, we had another 
camp meeting, perhaps the same summer. In the 
afternoon, at three o'clock, I put up a very good local 
preacher to preach. He was not as interesting as some, 
and the congregation became restless, especially the 



PETER CART AY EIGHT. 319 

rowdies. I went out among them, and told them they 
ought to hear the preacher. 

" 0," said they, " if it was you we would gladly 
hear you." 

''Boys," said I, "do you really want to hear me?" 

"Yes, we do," said they. 

"Well," said I, "if you do, go and gather all those 
inattentive groups, and come down in the grove, two 
hundred yards south, and I will preach to you." 

They collected two or three hundred. I mounted 
an old log; they all seated themselves in a shade. I 
preached to them about an hour, and not a soul 
moved or misbehaved. In this way I matched the 
rowdies for once. 



320 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER XXI. 

CAMP ROWDIES. 

In the fall of 1881 our conference was held in 
Indianapolis, Indiana, October 4th; Bishop Roberts 
presided. At this conference we elected our dele- 
gates to the General conference, which was to sit in 
Philadelphia, May 1st. This was the fifth delegated 
General conference to which I was elected, and, per- 
haps it is the proper place to say, this was the only 
General conference that I ever missed attending, from 
1816 to this date. My family were in great affliction, 
which prevented my attendance. Brothers Andrew 
and Emory were elected, and ordained bishops in the 
Methodist Episcopal Church; and the Indiana con- 
ference was formed, so that there were now twelve 
annual conferences east and south, and ten west 
and south ; all the latter formed out of the old West- 
ern conference. Our numbers in the west had risen 
to 217,659. Our traveling preachers numbered 765. 
The others, eastern and southern, had, in members, 
382,060; traveling preachers, 1,454. Total, in round 
numbers, 600,000. Of traveling preachers, 2,219. 

The reader will see our increase in the old con- 
ferences in members, in four years, was 111,850; and 
in the west, was 66,775 ; total, 177,625. We had in- 
creased in traveling preachers, in the same length of 
time, 716; this was a greater increase than all the 
branches of the Protestant Christian Churches in the 
Union could number ; and surely, all the factories in 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 321 

the Union that make preachers, did not, in the same 
length of time, graduate as many preachers; and in 
point of learning and real ability, our increase of 
preachers will compare favorably with any of them. 

As 1832 closed my three years on the Sangamon 
district, I will relate an incident or two which occur- 
red in Fulton county. We held a camp meeting, at 
which good preparations were made ; many attended, 
and our prospects for an interesting meeting were 
fair, and there was an increasing interest. But some 
low and unprincipled fellows, in the adjoining village 
of Canton, fitted out a man, who was perfectly bank- 
rupt, and sent him down to set up a huckster's shop, 
with tobacco, cigars, cakes, candies, pies, and almost 
all kinds of ardent spirits. I went to him, and told 
him he should not disturb us in vending those articles, 
and that he must desist ; he swore he would not, and 
hurled defiance at me; I got a wTit and an officer, 
and took him ; he employed a young lawyer to de- 
fend him ; I prosecuted the suit, and the jury fined 
him ten dollars and costs. On saying that he had 
nothing, and was not worth a cent in the world, the 
court told him he had to pay his fine or go to jail; 
he said he must go to jail then ; for he could not pay 
his fine. There was a black-legged gang, that were 
his chief customers, who swore, if we attempted to 
put him in jail, which was about ten miles off", that 
they would rescue him, and give those w^ho attempted 
to convey him there a sound drubbing. The officer 
was scared, and hesitated ; in the mean time I ordered 
out an execution, and levied on his whole grocery. 
He declared that these articles were not his, but be- 
longed to other men. I said I did not care a fig who 
they belonged to, and ordered the officer to levy on 
them, and I would indemnify him. When we had 



322 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

secured the grocery, and put it under guard, our 
officer still hesitated to take the criminal to jail. I 
told him to summon me, and four other stout men that 
I named, and I would insure the criminal a safe lodg- 
ment in jail, or risk the consequences. This was 
done, and we hoisted our prisoner on a horse, mount- 
ed our own horses, well armed with bludgeons, and 
started on a merry jog. When we got about half way 
I told the prisoner that he had better pay his fine, 
and not disgrace himself by lying in jail. No, he 
swore he would not; so on we went. The rowdies 
that were to waylay us and release the prisoner never 
appeared. When we got in sight of the town in 
which the jail was, the prisoner asked me very 
seriously, if we really intended to put him in jail. I 
told him yes, certainly we did. " Well," said he, " I 
can't go into jail;" and then pulled out the money 
and paid his fine and costs. 

We returned to the encampment, and the rowdies 
were in a mighty rage because they could get no 
drink, for we had the groggery under guard. They 
swore if we did not release it, they would break up 
the camp meeting. I told them to ride on, that we 
would not release the grocery, and we could whip the 
whole regiment. At candle-lighting we had preach- 
ing ; they were still and quiet till most of the tent- 
holders had gone to bed. Then they began their dirty 
deeds. I had ordered out a strong watch, and directed 
the lights to be kept burning all night. They began 
at a distance to bark like dogs, to howl like wolves, 
to hoot like owls; they drew near and crowed like 
chickens ; they tried to put out our lights, and threw 
chunks at the tent; but the guard beat them back, 
and kept them off nearly all night. Toward day, 
they drew nearer and nearer still, and would slap 



PETER CAilT WRIGHT. 323 

their hands and crow like chickens. One ringleader 
among them came right before the preachers' tent, 
slapped his hands, and crowed and passed on. I step- 
ped to a fire close by, and gathered a chunk of fire, 
and threw it, striking him right between the shoul- 
ders, and the fire flew all over him. He sprung, and 
bounded like a buck. I cried out, " Take him : take 
him ;" but I assure you it would have taken a very 
fleet man to have taken him, for he ran as though 
the very devil was in him and after him. When I 
returned to the tent, one of the guard came and told 
me that they were taking wheels off the wagons and 
carriages; and looking through an opening in the 
tent, I saw one of them busy in loosening my car- 
riage behind the tent, where I had tied it to a sap- 
ling for fear they would run it off. I slipped round, 
gathered a stick in my way, and came up close 
behind him, and struck at him, not with much intent 
to hurt, but to scare him. However, the stroke set 
his hat on one side of his head; he dashed off in a 
mighty fright, and his hat not being adjusted right, 
it blinded him, and fleeing with all speed, he struck 
his head against a tree, knocked himself down, 
bruised his face very much, and lay senseless for 
several minutes; but when he came to himself, he 
was as tame as a lamb, and his dispensation of mis- 
chief was over. This put an end to the trouble of the 
rowdies, and afterward all was peace and quiet. 

We had a very singular and remarkable man 
among us, a traveling preacher in the Illinois confer- 
ence; his name was Wilson Pitner. He was at this 
camp meeting. He was uneducated, and it seemed 
impossible for him to learn; but, notwithstanding his 
want of learning, and in common he was an ordinary 
preacher, yet at times, as we say in the backwoods, 



324 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF 

when lie swung clear, there were very few that could 
excel him in the pulpit ; and perhaps he was one of 
the most eloquent and powerful exhorters that was 
in the land. 

On Monday he came to me, and desired me to let 
him preach at eleven o'clock, saying, 

"I have faith to believe that God will this day 
convert many of these rowdies and persecutors." 

I consented; and he preached with great liberty 
and power. Nearly the whole congregation were 
powerfully moved, as he closed by calling for every 
rowdy and persecutor to meet him at the altar; for, 
said he, 

"I have faith to believe that God will convert 
every one of you that will come and kneel at the 
place of prayer." 

There was a general rush for the altar, and many 
of our persecutors, and those who had interrupted 
and disturbed us in the forepart of the meeting, came 
and fell on their knees, and cried aloud for mercy; 
and it is certainly beyond my power to describe the 
scene; but more than fifty souls were converted to 
God that day and night. Our meeting continued for 
several days, and about ninety professed to obtain the 
pardon of their sins, most of whom joined the Church, 
and great good was accomplished, although we waded 
through tribulation to accomplish it. 

Such success often attended the Gospel labors of 
this brother. He is now in California laboring for 
the good of souls. 

When, in 1832, the Illinois conference was divided, 
and Indiana set oif, the former was confined to the 
state of Illinois, and consisted of the following pre- 
siding-elder districts, namely: Wabash, Kaskaskia, 
Sangamon, and Mission district. Our first Illinois 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 325 

conference in its separate form from Indiana, sat in 
the town of Jacksonville with the four above-named 
districts; it was held September 25, 1832. The In- 
diana preachers met with us this fall ; Bishop Soule 
presided. Our increase of members in the confer- 
ence this year was near three thousand. When the 
Bishop and counsel met, it was found that the country 
was so rapidly filling up, and the work enlarging so 
constantly, that it w^as necessary to make two more 
presiding-elder districts. The Mission district was 
called Chicago, and the Quincy district was formed. 
When the Illinois conference met in Jacksonville, 
and was organized, there were thirty-five traveling 
preachers of us, and our membership was about ten 
thousand. I had traveled now about twenty-eight 
years, and although blessed with a strong constitution, 
I began to feel the worse for wear, and that I needed 
a little rest. I therefore asked and obtained a super- 
annuated relation for one year ; but when the Quincy 
district was formed, there was not a man in the elder- 
ship willing to go to it, such was its new and wilder- 
ness state. The Bishop said if he could not get a 
presiding elder for it, it must be merged into the 
other districts. I told him it ought not to be merged. 
"Well," said he, "what are we to do? there is no 
one of these elders willing to go to it." 
Said I, "Let me remedy the evil." 
Said Bishop Soule, "I wish you would." 
"Well," said I, "to-morrow morning let some 
brother move a reconsideration of the vote by which 
I was granted a superannuated relation, and make 
me effective; and if you, sir, see proper to appoint 
me to that district, I am ready and willing to go." 

This proposition was agreed to all round; and next 
morning the motion to reconsider was made, put, and 



b2i5 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OP 

carried, and I was appointed to the Quincy district; 
so you see I have sustained, in more than fifty years, 
a superannuated relation about ten hours. The 
Quincy district was composed of the following ap- 
pointments, namely: Galena mission, Fort Edwards 
missiop, Henderson River mission. Blue River mis- 
sion, Quincy, Rushville, and Canton, commencing at 
the mouth of the Illinois river, and running up the Mis- 
sissippi river to Galena, the north-west corner of the 
state, and up the Illinois river on its west side to near 
Peoria; thence due north to the northern line of the 
state, and even into what is now Wisconsin state. 
We had in this district about fourteen hundred mem- 
bers. Much of our district was new settlements, 
formed and forming ; hard, long rides, cabin parlors, 
straw beds and bedsteads, made out of barked sap- 
lings, and puncheon bedcords. But the people were 
kind and clever, proverbially so; showing the real 
pioneer or frontier hospitality. The men were a 
hardy, industrious, enterprising, game-catching, and 
Indian driving set of men. The women were also 
hardy ; they would think no hardship of turning out 
and helping their husbands raise their cabins, if need 
be ; they would mount a horse and trot ten or fifteen 
miles to meeting, or to see the sick and minister to 
them, and home again the same day. How different 
from those ladies who live in older circles, and have 
groAvn up in wealth, luxury, and fashionable life, who 
would faint if they had to walk a hundred yards in 
the sun without a parasol or umbrella; who are 
braced and stayed at such an intemperate rate, that 
they can not step over six or eight inches at a step, 
and should they by any accident happen to lose their 
moorings, and fall, are imprisoned with so many 
unmentionables, that they could not get up again; 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 827 

and should a thunder-storm suddenly overtake them 
out doors, would scream as if the world were coming 
to an end. 

I was frequently four or five weeks from home at a 
time. On one of those trips, in the northern end of 
this district, the following incident occurred. I started 
from home in order to attend some four or five quar- 
terly meetings up north. I had traveled some eighty 
miles, when a most tremendous rain fell ; it continued 
two nights and a day ; during which time I was com- 
fortably housed at a friend's. "When the rain ceased I 
started for the Henderson River mission. The whole 
face of the earth, where it was level, was a sheet of 
water, and the ravines and little rivulets were swollen 
into large creeks. I had about thirty-six miles to 
travel to reach my meeting. The brother at whose 
house I stopped tried to dissuade me from any attempt 
at performing my journey, saying there was no road 
or path for twenty miles, and no house or cabin till 
I should reach the Twenty Mile Point of Timber; and 
that I would have to steer for that point as my only 
guide; that in low places, and in the valleys of 
prairies, I would be for miles together out of sight of 
this point; and should any accident befall and detain 
me night would overtake me, and I would lose sight 
of the landmark, and have to lie out all night, and 
perhaps might be lost in this large prairie for days ; 
and, besides, if I should be fortunate enough to reach 
the point of timber, there was the large creek, and no 
doubt it was swimming for twenty yards. There were 
no bridges, no canoe, and I could not find any fallen 
'tree that could possibly reach across, so that I would 
have to swim, and all alone. If any accident should 
happen to me I would certainly be drowned. 

The prospect looked gloomy, and I felt some mis- 



328 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

givings come over me; and the reasons and argu- 
ments of my friend were not without considerable 
effect on my mind. I paused for a few moments, rea- 
soning on the subject. Just then my old Methodist 
Dreacher motto occurred to my mind, that is, '^ Never 
retreat till you certainly know you can advance no 
further." And as my motto occurred to my mind, my 
purpose was unalterably fixed to go ahead. 

"Brother," said I, ''as there is no road, get on your 
horse and ride a little distance with me, till I can 
clearly see the point of timber that is to guide me." 

He readily consented, and did so. We rode two 
miles, and the point of timber was plain in view. As 
he turned back he said, "I should not be surprised if 
I never saw you again." 

"Well," said I, "if I fall, and you never see me 
again, tell my friends that I fell at my post, trying to 
do my duty. Farewell." 

I had a fine, large, faithful horse under me, and 
a divine Providence above me, and in a few minutes 
after my friend and myself separated I felt that I had 
nothing to fear. On I moved; sometimes in and 
sometimes out of sight of my landmark; sometimes 
nearly swimming in the little branches, but every step 
I left the prairie in the distance, and neared my point 
of timber. There was so much water, and the ground 
was so soft, I could make but slow progress; but 
every time I rose on the high ground, from the low 
valleys in the prairie, my point of timber seemed 
nearer and nearer still. At length, about three 
o'clock, I reached the timber in safety; rode up and 
hailed the cabin, but there was no person at home. 
I saw in the distance, about fourteen miles off, my 
next point of timber, and contiguous to the place of 
holding my quarterly meeting. I concluded to make 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 329 

a hard push and go through that afternoon ; but here 
was the large creek to cross, only two hundred yards 
ahead of me. I concluded to go above the timber 
and cross it ; but when I came to it I found it had 
swollen and spread out at least two hundred yards on 
the level ground. I could not tell how far I would 
have to swim on my horse. I rode in about one-third 
the apparent distance across. My horse was nearly 
swimming. I concluded it would be too far for me 
to risk a swim on horseback. It occurred to me that 
"prudence was the better part of valor," so I retreated. 
I then pursued the creek down the timber, in search 
of a drift or tree across the stream, where I could 
carry my things over, and then return and swim 
my horse, without wetting all my traveling apparatus. 
At length I found a tree that had been felled across a 
narrow part of the creek, that I thought answered my 
purpose admirably, but by this time it was nearly 
night, and if I got safe over the creek I could not 
make the distance to the next point of timber, and 
should have to lie out without food for myself or my 
horse. I came to a halt, and thinking that the occu- 
pants of the cabin I had just passed would be in at 
night, I concluded to retrace my steps and get quar- 
ters for the night. So back I came to the cabin, but 
still there was no one at home. I concluded, at home 
or not at home, I should lodge there that night. So 
down I got, opened the door of the cabin, and usher- 
ed myself in. I found they had covered up some fire 
in the ashes, to keep in their absence, which made 
me still hope they would come home some time that 
night. I went out and stripped my horse, and put 
him up and fed him, and then my next care was for 
something to eat myself. By this time I had a good 
appetite. I went and made up a little fire, and in a 

28 



830 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

small corner cupboard, made of clapboards, back- 
woods fashion, to my great joy I found a pan of corn 
bread, nicely baked, and, though cold, it relished 
well. In one corner of the wooden chimney there 
hung some excellent dried venison. I pulled out 
some coals and broiled my venison, and had a hearty 
meal of it. And now, thought I, if I only had a good 
cup of coffee, I should have the crowning point 
gained of a good and pleasant meal. In looking 
about in the cupboard, I found a tin bucket full of 
excellent honey in the comb. I took it out, got some 
water in a tin cup that was on the shelf, sweetened 
the water with the honey, and found in it an excellent 
substitute for coffee. There was a nice clean bed, in 
which I slept unusually sound. I^Text morning I rose 
early, fed my horse, prepared my breakfast, much af- 
ter the fashion of my supper, saddled my horse, and 
started on my journey. 

When I came to the creek it had fallen consider- 
ably, but was still swimming. I carried all my travel- 
ing fixtures over perfectly dry ; stripped myself, went 
back, mounted my horse, went over safe, dressed my- 
self, knelt down and offered my sincere thanks to 
God for his providential care over me, and the mercy 
he had showed me, and went on my way shouting and 
happy. 

I arrived at the place of the quarterly meeting, and 
found the few scattered members, six in all, and about 
eight who were not members, and these comprised 
the whole settlement, save one family who lived close 
by, the head of which was a great persecutor of the 
Methodists. He said he had moved there, in that 
new and out-of-the-way place, especially to get rid of 
those wretched people called Methodists, but he had 
scarcely got into his rude cabin before here was the 



PETER CARTW RIGHT. 331 

Methodist preacher, preaching hell fire and damna- 
tion, as they always did. 

On Monday morning I went over to see him. He 
was a high-strung predestinarian in his views; be- 
lieved, or professed to believe, that God had decreed 
every thing that comes to pass. After introducing 
myself to him, he presently bristled up for an argu- 
ment. I told him I had not come to debate, but to 
invite him to the Savior. He said he could not re- 
ceive any thing from me, for he cordially despised the 
Methodists. I told him if God had decreed all things, 
he had decreed that there should be Methodists, and 
that they should believe precisely as they did, and that 
they were raised up by the decree of God to torment 
him before his time, and that he must be a great sim- 
pleton to suppose that the Methodists could do or be- 
lieve any thing but what they did; and now, my dear 
sir, you must be a vile wretch to want to break the 
decrees of God, and wish to exterminate the Method- 
ists; that if his doctrine was true, the Methodists 
were as certainly fulfilling the glorious decrees of 
God, which were founded in truth and righteousness, 
as the angels around the burning throne; and several 
admonitions I gave him, and, by the by, he had some 
feeling on the subject. I talked kindly and prayed 
with him, and left. 

After I left he began to think on the topics of 
conversation, and the more he thought the more his 
mind became perplexed about these eternal decrees. 
"When he would sit down to eat, or ride, or walk the 
road, he would soliloquize on the subject. After cut- 
ting off a piece of meat and holding it on his fork, 
ready to receive it into his mouth, he would say, " God 
decreed from all eternity that I should eat this meat, 
but I will break that decree," and down he would dash 



332 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

it to the dogs. As he walked the paths in the, settle- 
ment and came to a fork, he would say, " God from all 
eternity decreed that I should take the right-hand path, 
but I '11 break that decree," and he would rush to the 
left. As he rode through the settlement, in coming to 
a stump or tree, he would rein up his horse and say, 
^' God has from all eternity decreed that I should go 
to the right of that stump or tree, but I will break 
that decree," and would turn his horse to the left. 

Thus he went on till his family became alarmed, 
thinking he was deranged. The little settlement, 
also, was fearful that he had lost his balance of mind. 
At length, deep conviction took hold of him ; he saw 
that he was a lost and ruined sinner, without an in- 
terest in Jesus Christ. He called the neighbors to 
come and pray for him, and, after a long and sore 
conflict with the devil and his decrees, it pleased 
God to give him religion, and almost all his family 
were converted and joined the Methodist Church, and 
walked worthy of their high and holy calling. 

At another quarterly meeting in this mission on 
Sunday, we had twenty-seven for our congregation, 
and yet the scattered population were all, or nearly 
all, there for many miles around, and when we ad- 
ministered the sacrament on Sabbath, we had just seven 
communicants, preachers and all. Brother Barton 
Randle, now a superannuated mem.ber of the Illi- 
nois annual conference, was the missionary. Though 
a man of feeble health and strength, yet he was 
faithful in hunting up the lost sheep in this new and 
laborious field of labor. He suff'ered many priva- 
tions and hardships, but he endured all as seeing Him 
who is invisible, and I have thought that he was one 
among the very best missionaries I was ever ac- 
quainted with. He did great good in this new and 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 33B 

rising country, and laid firmly the foundation of 
future good, which the increasing and now densely- 
populated country has realized. Long since this 
mission has formed many large circuits and self-sup- 
porting stations, and no doubt many, in the great day 
of retribution, will rise up and call brother Randle 
blessed, and he will hail many of his spiritual children 
in heaven from this field of labor. Brother Randle 
was the first missionary that was sent to, and formed 
this mission, and, at the close of his year, he returned 
seventy-five members. 

The Rock Island mission was formed in 1832, and 
Philip T. Cordier was appointed missionary. He was 
a man of feeble talents, unstable, and did but little 
'good. He was finally expelled. I do not know what 
has become of him. On my first visit to Rock Island 
mission, which was chiefly located in what was then 
called Wells's settlement, a few miles above the mouth 
of Rock river, the river had been very high, but was 
fallen considerably. There was an old ferry-boat at 
the lower ford. The ferryman was a very mean 
man, charged high, and imposed very much on 
travelers. Some thought the river might be forded, 
others thought that it would swim. I was a total 
stranger, and although I had no money to pay my 
ferriage, yet I did not wish to swim if I could well 
avoid it, so I rode up and hailed the ferryman. I 
asked him if the river was fordable. 

"No," said he, "it is swimming from bank to bank 
nearly, and it is a very dangerous ford in the bar- 
gain." 

" Well," said I, " what do you do with strangers 
who have no money ? I am out, but shall return this 
way on Monday. If you will ferry me over you shall 
then be sure of your pay." 



334 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

"I won't do it," said he. "You must leave some- 
thing in pawn till you return, or I will not set you 
over." 

"What shall I leave?" 

" Your overcoat," said he. 

" No, sir ; perhaps I shall need it before that time, 
and if you will not trust me I am afraid to trust you." 

"Well," said he, "you can't get over. I won't 
trust you." 

I felt a little indignant, and turned off, saying, 
"My horse is a much better ferry-boat than your 
own, and he'll trust me." So I determined to take a 
swim. Just as I turned off from the ferryman I saw 
a man on horseback ride down to the river's edge on 
the other side. He waded his horse in and came over 
without swimming at all. This stranger told me 
there was no better ford on any river in the world, 
and that there was not the least danger on earth. I 
told him what the ferryman said. 

"Ah," said he, "you have made a blessed escape, 
for if you had left your overcoat you never would 
have got it again. He is a great rascal, and makes 
his living by foul means." 

So I passed over in safety, and had the pleasure of 
keeping my overcoat. When I got to brother Wells's 
I found a good little society, all in peace, and we had 
a very pleasant little quarterly meeting. 

Here, on the north side of Rock river, on the 
rising ground from the Mississippi bottom, stands the 
site of one of the oldest Indian towns in the north or 
north-west. It is a beautiful site for a city. There 
were to be seen lying, bleached and bleaching, the 
bones of unnumbered thousands of these poor, wild, 
and roaming races of beings. It was the center of 
the vast, and powerful, unbroken, warlike tribes of 



PETER C ART WRIGHT. 335 

the north-west. This particular spot was claimed by 
the notorious Black Hawk and his tribe. If they had 
been a civilized people, and had known the real arts 
of war, it would have been utterly impossible for the 
Americans to have vanquished and subdued them as 
they have done. When I looked over the fields in 
cultivation by the whites, where the ground had, for 
ages, been the country of thousands of Indians, a 
spirit of sorrow came over me. Had they been an 
educated and civilized people, there no doubt would 
now be standing on this pre-eminent site as splendid a 
city as New York. But they are wasted away and 
gone to their long home. I saw a scattered few that 
were crowded back by the unconquerable march of 
the white man. 

On another visit to a quarterly meeting on the 
Rock Island mission, brother H. Summers, a trav- 
eling presiding elder in the Bock River conference, 
accompanied me. We had a pleasant meeting, and 
it was believed that good was done. I had taken and 
distributed a good many religious books in the 
mission, which were eagerly sought for by the com- 
munity. Brother Summers and myself concluded to 
cross at the upper ford on Rock river. About mid- 
way in the river was a very slippery rock, which 
could be avoided by keeping up stream considerably, 
but somehow I missed the safe track, and my horse 
got on this slippery rock, and all of a sudden he 
slipped and fell. My saddle turned, ofi* I went, and 
the first thing I knew I saw my saddle-bags floating 
down with great rapidity, for the water ran very 
swift. I left my horse to get up as best he could, and 
took after my saddle-bags. I had a tight race, but 
overtook them before they sunk so as to disappear. 
ThcY were pretty well filled with water. My books 



336 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

and clothes had all turned Campbellites, for there 
was much water; and I escaped, not by the skin of 
my teeth, but by the activity of my heels. My horse 
rose, and, with all the calmness of old Diogenes, 
waded out, and left me to do the same. Brother 
Summers could not maintain his usual gravity, but I 
assure you all his fun was at my expense. I had 
scarcely a dry thread about me, but on we went, and 
reached Pope River settlement that night. 

The Galena mission, I think, was formed in 1827. 
It was a singular providence, somehow, that, notwith- 
standing Galena was in my district for several years, 
yet, by high waters, sickness of my horses, myself, 
and family, I was never able to reach a single appoint- 
ment in Galena, and to this day I have never seen her 
hills, walked her streets, or explored her rich mineral 
stores or mines; and although I have always borne the 
name of a punctual attendant on my appointments, it 
seems strange to me that I never reached that inter- 
esting point. 

In the fall of 1834 and 1835, William D. R. Trotter 
rode and preached on the Henderson River mission ; 
he was my son-in-law. On one occasion when I at- 
tended one of his quarterly meetings, there was no 
parsonage, and but few families comfortably situated 
to board with. During the meeting it rained almost 
constantly, and then turned cold, and there fell a 
considerable quantity of snow. I was in my gig 
or one-horse sulky. As I was to return home from 
this quarterly meeting, my daughter concluded that 
she would go with me, and spend a few weeks with 
her mother. I told her I knew the streams were very 
high, and it was doubtful whether we could get along. 
She said she thought if I could get along she 
could. So we started in my two-wheeled vehicle. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 337 

In a few miles we reached Spoon river. At a 
little village called Ellisville, the river was very full 
and rapidly rising ; no ferry-boat, no comfortable 
house to stay at. One of the citizens of the village 
had a canoe ; but how was I to take my carriage over 
a rapid stream on a canoe? The man said he could 
do it; and^ rather than stay for any length of time 
among a drunken, swearing, rowdy crowd, I conclud- 
ed to try it. Down we went ; I took out my horse, 
took oflf the harness, and took the harness and all 
the traveling appendages into the canoe; took in 
my daughter ; took my harness, bridle, and led my 
horse in, and swam him over by the side of the canoe. 
I landed all safe, and then returned with the manager 
of the canoe for my carriage ; we rolled it into the 
water, centered it as well as we could; balanced it, 
and I held on to it while he paddled and managed 
the canoe ; and, over we went safe and sound ; geared 
up, hitched to, and started on through the mud for 
Lewistown, and got there safe. We put up with 
Judge Phelps, a fine man, and his wife an excellent 
woman, and very friendly family; and we were not 
only made welcome but comfortable. That night it 
snowed, and covered the ground several inches. Next 
morning we started early, and crossed the Illinois 
river just above the mouth of Spoon river, which we 
had crossed the day before. We met some travelers 
in the afternoon, who told us that the waters of the 
Sangamon river were out for five miles, and that we 
could not reach the ferry-boat without swimming. 
We then turned our course up Salt creek, which 
emptied into the Sangamon river above where we 
had intended to cross it. Just before sundown 
we reached Salt creek, where was a miserable old 
rotten ferry-boat, and Salt creek out of its banks a 

29 



338 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF 

mile. The ferryman told us he could ferry us over 
the main channel of the stream, and he had no doubt 
we could wade out without swimming if we could find 
the way. It was at least a mile to the bluff; he said 
if we kept the road we would swim. We could only 
tell where the road was by a little space along, clear 
of weeds and grass. He said if we kept on ground 
where we could see the tops of the weeds and grass, 
there was no danger, but if we could not see these, 
not to venture, for there were many ponds clear of 
weeds and grass as well as the road. This seemed to 
me to be a very dangerous undertaking. But my 
daughter urged me on. I had great confidence in 
my horse ; he was large and strong, and an excellent 
swimmer; so over we went. There were a few rods 
of earth uncovered with water; and then we took 
water for the bluffs. We could see very distinctly 
the windings of the road by the little space that was 
clear of weeds and grass; but presently we would 
come to a large space clear of weeds and grass ; these 
we took to be ponds, and would wind round them 
and come back to our watery road. In this tedious 
way we got along slowly, though making all the 
speed we could without injuring my horse. As we 
neared the bluffs, darkness was closing in on us very 
fast; at length we got within about three rods of the 
bluffs, and we could not see the tops of weeds and 
grass, neither to the right nor left, nor in front; I 
turned up stream, and then down stream, but all my 
pilots had disappeared. I was brought to a stand. 
Said I to my daughter : 

" Let 's swim it ; Gray will ferry us over safe." 

"Agreed," said she. 

Said I, " Take a firm hold of the gig, and sink or 
swim, never let go, and Gray will make land." 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 339 

So in I drove, when, behold ! it was not swimming, 
and my horse waded out safe. We then had four 
miles to go, without road or pilot, and very dark. I 
took my course by the evening star, and soon arrived 
at a friend's house ; was kindly received and comfortably 
entertained by my old brother. Dr. Ballard, in New 
Ma.rket, then Sangamon county. He has long since 
fallen asleep, left earth for heaven, and is reaping his 
reward among the blessed. 

I have thus given a small sketch of some of the 
perilous scenes through which early Methodist preach- 
ers had to pass, to show the Methodist preachers of 
the present day the difference between walking on 
Turkey carpets, and eating yellow-legged chickens, and 
walking on mud and water, and eating nothing for 
days at a time. 

The Fort Edwards mission was formed, I believe, 
in 1832-33. D. B. Carter was the first missionary 
appointed to this mission; he returned at the next 
conference fifty-three members. Brother Carter was 
a man of small literary acquirements. When he 
professed religion he could not read a hymn intelli- 
gibly, but believing God had called him to preach 
the Gospel, he industriously applied himself to books, 
and soon learned to read very w^ell. He was not 
a brilliant or profound theologian ; but he was a pious, 
zealous, useful minister of Jesus Christ; and during 
his short ministerial career many were the seals of 
his ministry. He was much beloved in life, and 
greatly lamented in death. After a few years of 
zealous, useful labors, the fell disease, consumption, 
seized on him; he lingered in a superannuated relation 
a year or two, and then died a peaceful and happy 
death. Many in the great day of judgment will 
rise up and call him blessed. 



340 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

The Fort Edwards mission lay up and down the 
east bank of the Mississippi, from Quincy City to 
Fort Edwards, which stood where the city of Warsaw 
now stands; thence up the Mississippi to the celebra- 
ted foot of what is called the Lower Rapids, where, in 
after times, was erected the idolatrous city of Nau- 
voo, under the supervision of the grand impostor 
Joseph Smith, who was and is claimed as the Mor- 
mon Prophet. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 341 



CHAPTER XXII. 

MORMONISM. 

Permit me to make a few remarks about the blas- 
phemous organization called the Mormons, or Latter- 
day Saints. The original absurdity and trifling char- 
acter of Joe Smith and his coadjutors, is a matter of 
history, known and understood of all the intelligent 
reading community that have sought information on 
the subject, and therefore need not be stated here bj 
me. But there are a few facts I will state that have 
come under my own personal knowledge; for it has 
fallen to my lot to be appointed to travel in the 
region of country in Illinois most infested with this 
imposture. 

After the Mormons were driven from Missouri for 
their infamous and unlawful deeds, they fled to Ilhnois, 
Joe Smith and all, and established themselves at 
Nauvoo, or the foot of the Lower Rapids, on the east 
side of the Mississippi. At an early day after they 
were driven from Missouri and took up their resi- 
dence in Illinois, it fell to my lot to become acquaint- 
ed with Joe Smith personally, and with many of their 
leading men and professed followers. On a certain 
occasion I fell in with Joe Smith, and was formally 
and ofiicially introduced to him in Springfield, then 
our county town. We soon fell into a free conversa- 
tion on the subject of religion, and Mormonism in 
particular. I found him to be a very illiterate and 



342 AUTOBIOGRAPHY Ol' 

impudent desperado in morals, but, at the same time, 
lie had a vast fund of low cunning. 

In the first place, he made his onset on me by flat- 
tery, 'and he laid on the soft sodder thick and fast. 
He expressed great and almost unbounded pleasure 
in the high privilege of becoming acquainted with 
me, one of whom he had heard so many great and 
good things, and he had no doubt I was one among 
God's noblest creatures, an honest man. He believed 
that among all the Churches in the world the Meth- 
odist was the nearest right, and that, as far as they 
went, they were right. But they had stopped short 
by not claiming the gift of tongues, of prophecy, and 
of miracles, and then quoted a batch of Scripture to 
prove his positions correct. Upon the whole, he did 
pretty w^ell for clumsy Joe. I gave him rope, as 
the sailors say, and, indeed, I seemed to lay this 
flattering unction pleasurably to my soul. 

"Indeed," said Joe, "if the Methodists would only 
advance a step or two further, they would take the 
world. We Latter-day Saints are Methodists, as far as 
they have gone, only we have advanced further, and 
if you would come in and go with us, we could sweep 
not only the Methodist Church, but all others, and 
you w^ould be looked up to as one of the Lord's great- 
est prophets. You would be honored by countless 
thousands, and have of the good things of this world 
all that heart could wish." 

I then began to inquire into some of the tenets of 
the Latter-day Saints. He explained. I criticised his 
explanation till, unfortunately, we got into high de- 
bate, and he cunningly concluded that his first bait 
would not take, for he plainly saw I was not to be flat- 
tered out of common sense and honesty. The next 
pass he made at me was to move upon my fears. He 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 343 

said that in all ages of the world the good and right 
way was evil spoken of, and that it was an awful 
thing to fight against God. 

"Now," said he, ^4f you will go with me to Nauvoo, 
I will show you many living witnesses that will testify 
that they were, by the saints, cured of blindness, 
lameness, deafness, dumbness, and all the diseases 
that human flesh is heir to ; and I will show you," 
said he, "that we have the gift of tongues, and can 
speak in unknown languages, and that the saints can 
drink any deadly poison, and it will not hurt them;" 
and closed by saying, "the idle stories you hear 
about us are nothing but sheer persecution." 

I then gave him the following history of an en- 
counter I had at a camp meeting in Morgan county, 
some time before, with some of his Mormons, and 
assured him I could prove all I said by thousands 
that were present. 

The camp meeting was numerously attended, and 
we had a good and gracious work of religion going on 
among the people. On Saturday tliere came some 
twenty or thirty Mormons to the meeting. During 
the intermission after the eleven o'clock sermon they 
collected in one corner of the encampment, and began 
to sing, and they sang well. As fast as the people 
rose from their dinners they drew up to hear the 
singing, and the scattering crowd drew up till a 
large company surrounded them. I was busy regula- 
ting matters connected with the meeting. At length, 
according, I have no doubt, to a preconcerted plan, 
an old lady Mormon began to shout, and after shout- 
ing a while she swooned away and fell into the arms 
of her husband. The old man proclaimed that his 
wife had gone into a trance, and that when she came 
to she would speak in an unknown tongue, and that 



344 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

he would interpret. This proclamation produced 
considerable excitement, and the multitude crowded 
thick around. Presently the old lady arose and 
began to speak in an unknown tongue, sure enough. 
Just then my attention was called to the matter. I 
saw in one moment that the whole maneuver was in- 
tended to bring the Mormons into notice, and break 
up the good of our meeting. I advanced instantly 
toward the crowd, and asked the people to give way 
and let me in to this old lady, who was then being 
held in the arms of her husband. I came right up 
to them, and took hold of her arm, and ordered her 
peremptorily to hush that gibberish; that I would 
have no more of it; that it was presumptuous, and 
blasphemous nonsense. I stopped very suddenly her 
unknown tongue. She opened her eyes, took me by 
the hand, and said, 

"My dear friend, I have a message directly from 
God to you." 

I stopped her short, and said, "I will have none of 
your messages. If God can speak through no better 
medium than an old, hypocritical, lying woman, I 
will hear nothing of it." Her husband, who was to 
be the interpreter of her message, flew into a mighty 
rage, and said, 

" Sir, this is my wife, and I will defend her at the 
risk of my life." 

I replied, "Sir, this is my camp meeting, and I 
will maintain the good order of it at the risk of my 
life. If this is your wife, take her off from here, and 
clear yourselves in five minutes, or I will have you 
under guard." 

The old lady slipped out and was off quickly. The 
old man staid a little, and began to pour a tirade of 
abuse on me. I stopped him short, and said, "Not an- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 345 

other word of abuse from you, sir. I have no doubt 
you are an old thief, and if your back was examined, 
no doubt you carry the marks of the cowhide for 
your villainy." And sure enough, as if I had spoken 
by inspiration, he, in some of the old states, had been 
lashed to the whipping-post for stealing, and I tell 
you the old man began to think other persons had 
visions besides his wife, but he was very clear from 
wishing to interpret my unknown tongue. To cap 
the climax, a young gentleman stepped up and said 
he had no doubt all I said of this old man was true, 
and much more, for he had caught him stealing corn 
out of his father's crib. By this time, such was the 
old man's excitement that the great drops of sweat 
ran down his face, and he called out, 

" Do n't crowd me, gentlemen ; it is mighty warm." 

Said I, "Open the way, gentlemen, and let him 
out." When the way was opened I cried, " Now 
start, and do n't show your face here again, nor one 
of the Mormons. If you do you will get Lynch's 
law." 

They all disappeared, and our meeting went on 
prosperously, a great many were converted to God, 
and the Church was much revived and built up in her 
holy faith. 

My friend, Joe Smith, became very restive before 
I got through with my narrative ; and when I closed, 
his wrath boiled over, and he cursed me in the name 
of his God, and said, ^' I will show you, sir, that I will 
raise up a government in these United States which 
will overturn the present government, and I will raise 
up a new religion that will overturn every other form 
of religion in this country !" 

"Yes," said I, "uncle Joe; but my Bible tells me 
'the bloody and deceitful man shall not live out half 



346 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

his days ;' and I expect the Lord will send the devil 
after you some of these days, and take you out of the 
way." 

"No, sir," said he; "I shall live and prosper, while 
you will die in your sins." 

"Well, sir," said I, "if you live and prosper, you 
must quit your stealing and abominable whoredoms !" 

Thus we parted to meet no more on earth ; for in a 
few years after this, an outraged and deeply-injured 
people took the law into their own hands and killed 
him, and drove the Mormons from the state. They 
should be considered and treated as outlaws in every 
country and clime. The two great political parties in 
the state were nearly equal, and these wretched Mor- 
mons, for several years, held the balance of power, 
and they were always in market to the highest bid- 
der ; and I have often been put to the blush to see our 
demagogues and stump orators, from both political 
parties, courting favors from the Mormons, to gain a 
triumph in an election. Any man or set of men that 
would be mean enough to stoop so low as to connive 
at the abominations of these reckless Mormons, surely 
ought to be considered unworthy of public oflSce, 
honor, or confidence. But this is the way with all 
demagogues, and if our happy and glorious Union is 
destroyed, it will be done by these oflfice-seekers, who 
go for their own little insignificant selves, while the 
true love of country is an eternal stranger in their 
traitorous hearts. 

One fact I wish here to mention, that ought to be 
made public. When Joe Smith was announced a 
candidate for President of these United States, almost 
every infidel association in the Union declared in his 
favor. I traveled extensively through the eastern 
states and cities, as well as in the west, that year; 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 347 

and I must say this was literally true, as far as I con- 
versed with, or obtained reliable information of those 
infidel associations or individuals. Does not this speak 
volumes ? and ought it not to teach the friends of re- 
ligion an impressive lesson? 

Great blame has been attached to the state, the 
citizens of Hancock county, in which Nauvoo is situ- 
ated, as well as other adjoining counties, for the part 
they acted in driving the Mormons from among them. 
But it should be remembered they had no redress at 
law, for it is beyond all doubt that the Mormons would 
swear any thing, true or false. They stole the stock, 
plundered and burned the houses and barns of the 
citizens, and there is no doubt they privately murdered 
some of the best people in the county; and owing to 
the perjured evidence always at their command, it 
was impossible to have any legal redress. If it had 
not been for this state of things, Joe Smith would not 
have been killed, and they would not have been driven 
with violence from the state. Repeated efi'orts were 
made to get redress for these wrongs and outrages, 
but all to no purpose; and the wonder is, how the 
people bore as long as they did with the outrageous 
villainies practiced on them, without a resort to violent 
measures. I claim to know all about the dreadful 
conduct of the Mormons, and could state in detail the 
facts in these cases, but think it unnecessary. This 
much I think it my duty to state, at least to palliate 
the seeming high-handed measures of our wronged 
and oppressed citizens. 

In the fall of 1833 our Illinois conference was 
held in Union Grove, Padfield's, St. Clair county, 
September 25th. It fell to the lot of Bishop Soule to 
take this western tour, in the summer previous to our 
conference. He came to my house on his western 



848 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

round of conferences. He traveled in a two-horse car- 
riage, with an excellent span of horses, and he need- 
ed such, for the Missouri conference sat in Arkansas 
territory, at Salem, Washington county, a long way 
in the interior, and west of the Mississippi. He had 
mountains to climb and large rivers to cross, through 
a sparsely-populated country. My son-in-law, Wil- 
liam D. R. Trotter, rode the Blue River mission, 
which was in Pike and Calhoun counties, and lay 
directly in the Bishop's route. My quarterly meet- 
ing was in this mission. Trotter, the missionary, was 
at my house, so we started in company with the 
Bishop. After we crossed the Illinois river, we had 
a hilly country to pass through to get to the quarterly 
meeting, almost without roads. So steep were some 
of the hills, and so deep the hollows and ravines, that 
we had to loose the horses from the Bishop's carriage 
and let it down by hand ; then hitch on and drive up 
the hills. It seemed to me that if these were episco- 
pal honors, I would beg to be excused from wearing 
them ; and really it appeared to me that it was enough 
to discourage a bishop himself. But those who know 
Bishop Soule, know him to be a man of indomitable 
courage. 

After much labor to man and beast, we got safe to 
the quarterly meeting. The Bishop staid with us 
over Sabbath, and preached two excellent sermons, 
which had a good effect on the congregations; and 
the curiosity of many was gratified, for if circum- 
stances had not transpired to bring him to our camp 
quarterly meeting, they would have lived and died 
without ever seeing a Methodist bishop. 

Our western country, in certain locations, was, in 
1832 and 1833, fearfully visited with that dreadful 
scourge, the cholera. On Monday of our camp meet- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 349 

ing, a very seyere case of cholera took place with a 
hearty young man, that terminated fatally in eight or 
ten hours. The people generally believed it to be 
contagious; hence we deemed it most prudent to 
close the meeting, though our prospects for a good 
meeting were very encouraging. Bishop Soule, with 
great labor and fatigue, prosecuted his journey, and 
reached the Missouri conference, but was taken sick 
with a violent attack of fever, so that he did not reach 
our conference till the last hour of its session. The 
conference had elected me as their president. "VVe 
had done all our business, and the council had made 
out all the appointments, and we were just about 
adjourning, when the Bishop arrived. I sent a mes- 
senger to him, and inquired of him if he wished to 
say any thing to the conference; but he declined 
coming into the room, and requested all those who 
had been elected to office to wait till he had 
rested a little, being much fatigued, and he would 
ordain them. They did so, and were ordained ac- 
cordingly. 

At this conference, in the fall of 1883, the brethren 
in Jacksonville, though few in number and compar- 
atively poor, petitioned for a stationed preacher. 
Their request was granted, and Thomas J. Starr was 
appointed their preacher. Few and poor, however, 
as the brethren in Jacksonville were, there was a 
great improvement, in point of numbers and wealth, 
from the time of their first organization as a class till 
now. I am sorry that it is out of my power to give 
the date of the organization of the first class in Jack- 
sonville, but I think it was in 1827, when it was em- 
braced in what was then called the Mississippi circuit, 
and Thomas Randle and Isaac House were the circuit 
preachers. In the course of this year the first quar- 



350 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF 

terly meeting ever held in Jacksonville was held in a 
log-house, owned bj old father Jordan. It was held 
up stairs, and I well remember it was an interesting 
quarterly meeting. In 1831 the Jacksonville circuit 
was formed from a part of the old Mississippi circuit, 
and John Sinclair, now of the Rock River conference, 
was the circuit preacher; but from the rapid growth 
of the town, and increase of population, the Method- 
ists have two large churches and pastoral charges, 
and there are many more churches in the city, be- 
longing to other denominations. The Presbyterians 
have a flourishing college located here, and the Meth- 
odists have a female college, numerously attended. 
There is also another flourishing female college in 
Jacksonville, but to what denomination it belongs, 
or whether to any particular one, I am not prepared 
to say. The Illinois State Hospital for the Insane, 
the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, the Institute to Educate 
the Blind, all under the fostering care of the state, 
are located in Jacksonville. Indeed, it is the Athens 
of Illinois, and speaks loudly in favor of the state, 
and of the citizens of Jacksonville and surrounding 
country in particular. These institutions have high 
claims on all benevolent sympathizers in human woe, 
and all the real friends of a sanctified literature that 
will issue streams of light and life, to bless unnum- 
bered thousands of our fallen race. 

Our Illinois conference, for 1834, was held at 
Mount Carmel, October 1st. This year the brethren 
in the town of Rushville desired to be organized into 
a station, and pledged themselves for the support of a 
preacher. I consented, and appointed T. N. Ralston, 
and it has remained a station ever since. 

At one of our early camp meetings in Schuyler 
county, Rushville circuit, there was a general relig- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 851 

ous excitement. Many professed religion and joined 
the Church. Among the rest was a very intelligent 
and interesting young lady, a Roman Catholic. She 
was deeply convicted, and knelt at the altar and 
prayed fervently for mercy, and, after a sore conflict, 
she found peace in believing in the Lord Jesus 
Christ. Her conversion was a very clear one. She 
joined the Methodist Church, and desired me to bap- 
tize her. I inquired of her whether she had not been 
baptized. She told me she had been baptized by the 
Roman priest, but she was aware of her own knowl- 
edge that the priest was a very wicked man, and that 
she did not believe he had any right to administer the 
ordinances of the Church on account of his wicked- 
ness, and, therefore, she was dissatisfied with her bap- 
tism. After mature reflection on the subject I bap- 
tized her, and she proved to be a worthy member of 
the Church. 



352 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

CONVERSION OF A FAMILY. 

In the course of this year, 1834, we had a camp 
meeting in Knox county, Henderson River mission. 
There was a goodly number tented, and a fine turn 
out of people, for the number of settlers in this new 
and rising country. Our encampment was pitched in 
a beautiful little grove, on an eminence, surrounded 
by prairie on every hand. 

There was in this settlement an interesting and in- 
telligent family from one of the eastern states. The 
younger members of the family consisted of several 
young men and young ladies. The young people 
liked the Methodists, and were deeply convicted ; the 
old people, particularly the old lady, were very much 
opposed to them. Living, as they did, close by the 
camp-ground, they put their Yankee ingenuity to 
work to keep their children away from the meeting ; 
but finding they could not accomplish it, they at once 
determined to pitch their tent on the camp-ground, 
and then they thought they would have a better op- 
portunity to watch the children, and counteract any 
influence we might exert upon them. They pretended 
to be very friendly, to save appearances. The old 
lady, for the purpose of disarming me, treated me 
very kindly, and invited me to eat with them, which 
I did. In the mean time one of the daughters, who 
was deeply convicted, told me all about her mother's 
opposition to the Methodists, and her schemes to pre- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 353 

vent her children from being influenced to become 
religious. 

One Saturday evening I invited the seekers of 
religion to come forward to the altar for the pray- 
ers of the Church. Two of her daughters came for- 
ward and knelt in prayer. A young sister, almost 
as much opposed to the Methodists as her mother, 
went into the altar with a phial of hartshorn, and while 
her two sisters were trying to pray she slipped the 
hartshorn to their nose, in order to drive them up and 
prevent their seeking religion. I very soon detected 
her in her operations, and took hold of her hand, 
wrenched the phial from her, led her out of the altar, 
and told her if I caught her in there any more on 
such business, I would pitch her out and publicly ex- 
pose her. 

While I was talking to and praying with these 
two young ladies and others, I saw the old lady, their 
mother, come and take her seat outside of the altar, 
immediately opposite her daughters, and if at any 
time she thought I was not watching her, she would 
kick them in their sides to drive them up. I watched 
her very closely, and when in the act of kicking them, 
I took hold of her foot and gave her a strong push 
backward, and over she tumbled among the benches. 
Being a large, corpulent woman, she had some consid- 
erable tussle to right herself again. So in this way 
I defeated the scheme of the devil once more. The 
girls became very much engaged, but while there were 
many still pressing to the altar, and my attention for 
a moment was called off, the old lady contrived to get 
them out of the altar into the tent. As soon as I dis- 
covered what was done, I gathered two or three good 
singers and praying persons, and followed them into 
the tent, and commenced singing; I then gave them 

30 



354 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

an exhortation; tlien said, ^'Let us pray," and called 
on the father of the girls to pray for his children, but 
he refused; I then called on their mother to kneel down 
and pray for her children, and she refused. In the 
mean time two of the boys, as well as the two girls, 
became very much affected, and cried for mercy; and 
presently the third daughter, that had used the harts- 
horn in the altar, got awfully convicted, and begged 
all present to pray for her, or she would be lost and 
damned forever. This was too much for the old peo- 
ple; they became awfully alarmed, and wept bitterly; 
and you may be sure the whole tent was in a mighty 
uproar. The singing, praying, and exhortations were 
kept up nearly all night. Four of the family were 
powerfully converted, and the sectarian devil in the 
old father and mother was effectually disarmed, and 
from that blessed night they became a religious family; 
all joined the Methodist Church, and, as far as I know, 
w^alked Avorthy of their high vocation. May they all 
prove faithful till death, and then receive a crown of 
life! 

While on the Quincy district — the town of Quincy 
was a very small and sickly place — I remember 
spending near two weeks in it when, if my recollec- 
tion serves me, there was but one family w^here there 
was no affliction. In some families there were one, 
two, or three confined to their beds with fever, and 
sometimes the whole family were sick together, and 
not one able to help another. I went from house to 
house, not only to minister to their temporal wants, 
but to pray with them, and point the sick and dying 
to Christ. Many died, and it was with great difficulty 
that we could muster enough persons able to bury 
the dead. 

There was one case which, in a very special manner, 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 355 

affected my mind. Under the hill, close by the brink 
of the river, there was what was called a tavern. It 
was a poor, filthy place at best ; the general resort of 
boatmen, and, in a word, all kinds of bad company 
resorted to this house. A young man, from some of 
the eastern states, had come out to explore the west, 
and was taken sick on the boat, on the river, and was 
left at this miserable house. He was a professed 
Christian, and a member of the Methodist Church. 
ISTo medical aid could be obtained, no nurse, and, in 
a word, no care was taken of him. In this deplorable 
condition, he heard that there was a Methodist 
preacher in town, visiting the sick. He sent for me, 
and I went to see him. He told me who he was, 
where his parents lived, and that he had a consider- 
able sum of money with him, and he wanted me to 
take charge of it, for he was sure if it was known he 
had money, he should be robbed of it. I took charge 
of his money, told the landlord to give him all the 
attention he could, and I would see him paid. The 
sick man said he was sensible he must die, but that 
he was not willing to die at that house, and begged 
me to have him removed, if possible. I knew of a 
very comfortable place, a few miles in the country, 
and caused his removal there. Here he lingered for a 
while, and then died. He had requested me, in case 
of his decease, to have him decently buried, pay out 
of his money his tavern bill, his funeral expenses, 
and write to his parents that they might come to get 
his clothes and money. I did as requested. His 
younger brother came, got his money and clothes, 
and although it was a mournful dispensation to his 
relatives, yet it afforded them great comfort to know 
that he died among friends, though strangers. 

This is one among many cases of the kind that 



356 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

from an early day came under my notice, in which 
enterprising men have come to the far west, have 
been taken sick, and died among strangers, uncared 
for. 

We had a camp meeting in Adams county, Quincy 
circuit, and it was numerously attended. There was 
a gracious work of religion going on among the peo- 
ple, and there was a pretty clever, intelligent old 
gentleman, who had moved into the settlement from 
Kentucky, who, in that state, had been a Baptist 
preacher, but had got his mind confused with Alex- 
ander Campbell's dogmas about experimental religion. 
He had a fine family, and some of them knew what 
real religion was. He and family attended our camp 
meeting. He was very fond of argument on almost 
all theological subjects. He tried to get me into de- 
bate during the meeting, but I told him I was there 
for other and better business. He denied the opera- 
tions of the Spirit, its testimony bearing witness with 
our spirits that we are the children of God ; and said 
all those happy feelings professed by Christians were 
nothing but excitement; that there was no religion 
in it. 

On Sunday night a most tremendous power fell on 
the assembly, and a general shout went up to heaven 
from hundreds of Christians. Among the crowd of 
happy and shouting Christians this gentleman's wife 
and daughter were exceedingly happy, and shouted 
aloud. The old gentleman could not stand it; he fled 
behind the tent, lighted his pipe, and tried to smoke 
away his bad feelings. After laboring in the altar a 
long time, I stepped back to get a drink of water, and 
there sat this old Campbellite preacher, and the cloud 
of smoke from his pipe was fearful ; he seemed to be 
insensible of what he was about, and the pipe and to- 



PETER CART WEIGHT. 357 

bacco were paying tribute to his reveries at a mighty 
rate. I stepped up to him and tapped him on the 

shoulder, and said, "Come, Mr. , go with me, 

and I will show you more happy Christians than you 
ever saw among the Campbellites in all your life." 

"Sir," said he, "it is all delusion; they are not 
happy." 

"But," said I, "your wife and daughter are among 
the foremost shouters in the crowd. Come," said I, 
" you must come with me to the altar ; I want to pray 
for you there, that you may get religion, and be hap- 
py too. Come, sir, I want to see you converted, and 
shouting-happy." I took him by the arm, to lead him 
to the altar, but he drew back. I gathered him 
again, and pulled him along ; but the moment he saw 
his wife and daughter shouting, and making toward 
him, he tore loose from my grasp, and actually ran. 
Poor man, he was so confused by fishing in the mud- 
dy waters of Campbellism, that he lost his mental 
balance. He would not yield to the Spirit of God, 
and submit to be a humble, shouting, happy Chris- 
tian. Sometimes he would talk rational; sometimes 
quote, and apply the Scriptures right; then, again, he 
became skeptical. But the great difficulty was, the 
pride of his professed ministerial standing would not 
let him yield, and renounce his errors. Thus he 
worried on for a considerable time, and was carried 
into the whirlpool of doubt and unbelief. His 
friends talked to him, but talked in vain. He 
became more and more flighty in his mind, till at 
length, in a paroxysm of insanity, he shot himself. 
This event fell like a thunderbolt on his family and 
the surrounding community; and proves that it is a 
hard thing to fight against God. 



358 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

MISSIONARIES FROM THE EAST. 

About this time there were a great many young 
missionaries sent out to this country to civilize and 
Christianize the poor heathen of the west. They 
would come with a tolerable education, and a smat- 
tering knowledge of the old Calvinistic system of 
theology. They were generally tolerably w^ell fur- 
ished with old manuscript sermons, that had been 
preached, or written, perhaps a hundred years before. 
Some of these sermons they had memorized, but in 
general they read them to the people. This way of 
reading sermons was out of fashion altogether in this 
western world, and of course they produced no good 
effect among the people. The great mass of our 
western people wanted a preacher that could mount 
a stump, a block, or old log, or stand in the bed of 
a wagon, and without note or manuscript, quote, ex- 
pound, and apply the word of God to the hearts and 
consciences of the people. The result of the efforts 
of these eastern missionaries was not very flattering; 
and although the Methodist preachers were in reality 
the pioneer heralds of the cross throughout the entire 
west, and although they had raised up numerous 
societies and churches every five miles, and notwith- 
standing we had hundreds of traveling and local 
preachers, accredited and useful ministers of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, yet these newly-fledged missionaries 
would write back to the old states hardly any thing 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 359 

else but ^vailings and lamentations over the moral 
wastes and destitute condition of the west. 

These letters would be read in their large congre- 
gations, stating that they had traveled hundreds of 
miles, and found no evangelical minister, and the 
poor perishing people were in a fair way to be lost 
for the want of the bread of life; and the ignorant 
or uninformed thousands that heard these letters 
read would melt into tears, and their sympathies be 
greatly moved, when they considered our lost and 
heathenish state, and would liberally contribute their 
money to send us more missionaries, or to support 
those that were already here. Thus some of these 
missionaries, after occupying our pulpits, and preach- 
ing in large and respectable Methodist congregations, 
would write back and give those doleful tidings. 
Presently their letters would be printed, and come 
back among us as published facts in some of their 
periodicals. 

Now, what confidence could the people have in 
such missionaries, who would state things as facts 
that had not even the semblance of truth in them ? 
Thus I have known many of them destroy their own 
usefulness, and cut ofi" all access to the people; and, 
indeed, they have destroyed all confidence in them 
as ministers of truth and righteousness, and caused 
the way of truth to be evil spoken of. On a certain 
occasion, when these reports came back known to 
contain false statements, the citizens of Quincy called 
a meeting, mostly out of the Church, and after dis- 
cussing the subject, pledged themselves to give me a 
thousand dollars per annum, and bear all my travel- 
ing expenses, if I would go as a missionary to the 
New England states, and enlighten them on this and 
other subjects, of which they considered them pro- 



360 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

foundly ignorant. But, owing to circumstances be- 
yond my control, I was obliged to decline the accept- 
ance of their generous oiFer. 

If it had been consistently in my power, how glad- 
ly and willingly would I have undertaken this labor 
of love, and gloried in enlightening them down east, 
that they might keep their home-manufactured clergy 
at home, or give them some honorable employ better 
suited to their genius, than that of reading old musty 
and worm-eaten sermons ! If this matter is rightly 
looked into, it will astonish every well-informed 
man to see the self-importance and self-complacence 
of these little home-manufactured fellows. If they 
would tarry at Jericho till their beards were 
grown out, it certainly would be more creditable to 
themselves, and to all others concerned, and especial- 
ly to the cause of God. 

It will be perceived that in the fall of 1834 the 
Galena and Chicago districts were formed, which 
gave us six presiding-elder districts in our conference. 
Our conference met in Springfield, October 1, 1835. 
At this conference I was returned to the Quincy 
district, which now consisted of the following ap- 
pointments, namely: Pittsfield, Quincy circuit, Quin- 
cy mission, Rushville station, Rushville circuit, Can- 
ton, Fort Edwards mission, Henderson River mission, 
and Knoxville mission — 8. At this conference in 
Springfield, we again elected our delegates to the 
General conference, which was held in Cincinnati, 
May 1, 1836. To this General conference I was 
elected; and it was the fifth General conference in 
which I was entitled to a seat by the suffrages of my 
brethren in the ministry. 

At the General conference of 1832, that body had 
granted the privilege to the west to publish a relig- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 361 

ious paper at Cincinnati, on the hard condition that we 
obtained five thousand subscribers. However, by 
strong effort we obtained that number, and Thomas 
A. Morris was its first editor. At the General confer- 
ence of 1836 he, as well as brother Beverly Waugh, 
and Doctor Fisk, were elected Bishops of the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church, and Doctor C. Elliott, the present 
incumbent, was elected editor of the Western Chris- 
tian Advocate, John F. Wright our Western Book 
Agent, and Leroy Swormstedt Assistant Book Agent. 
It was at this General conference of 1836 that the 
ground was taken by a majority of the delegates from 
the slaveholding states, that slavery was right, and a 
blessing, instead of a curse, to the slaves themselves. 
We had from the north 0. Scott and his coadjutors, 
who were ultra abolitionists ; and we had some warm 
debates on the subject. The southern delegates met 
in private caucus to devise a plan of separation from 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, unless we would so 
modify the Discipline as to tolerate slavery, or make 
it no bar to membership or office in the Church. This 
movement was headed by the Rev. William A. Smith, 
of Virginia, and others of the same cloth and kidney. 
I was invited by John Early, of Virginia, now Bishop 
of the Southern Church, to attend one of these cau- 
cuses. I went. Some of them took strong ground, 
and urged a division, or a separation from the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. Others of them said they 
would never consent to a division ; that they would 
rather suffer martyrdom than to divide the Church. 
Finally, I think they did not harmonize on any plan 
of division at that time; but William A. Smith said 
to me he never would be satisfied unless we would 
agree to expunge every thing from the Discipline of 
the Methodist Church on the subject of slavery ; and 

31 



362 ;- ~*;jt "^ ■^' AUTOBIOGRAPHYOP 

true to the dark principles of his creed, he never 
rested till he divided the Methodist Church; and 
at the late General conference of the Church South 
they swept, as with the besom of destruction, every 
rule from their Discipline on the subject of slavery, 
and only lacked a few votes of erasing from the Gen- 
eral Rules that part which forbids " the buying and 
selling of men, women, or children, with an intention 
to enslave them." 

This rule the advocates of slavery at the south 
have always interpreted to apply to the slave-trade, 
and that trade alone. Taking them to be sincere in 
this interpretation of this General Rule, what is the 
conclusion that we must draw from their late move in 
their General conference? It is plainly that they 
wish every disciplinary barrier moved out of the 
wa}^, and the slave-trade, with all its damning, mur- 
dering influences, revived again, notwithstanding it 
is denounced by all Christian philanthropists, and 
made piracy by the laws of our happy country; not- 
withstanding all their pretensions to patriotism, their 
love of country, and all their law-loving and law- 
abiding professions, as being " obedient to the powers 
that be," they w^ould open the way to revive this 
abominable traffic in human souls and bodies; and 
while this slave-trade stands reprobated by every 
Christian nation that deserves the name, and has the 
broad seal of reprobation set on it by God himself, 
they wish to see its dark wheels set in motion again, 
without let or hinderance. 

And why should they not desire this, if they are 
sincere in their expressed opinions ? They tell us that 
slavery "is a political, domestic, and religious bless- 
ing ;" if so, why not enter into the slave-trade, whole- 
sale and retail? go with armed ships, kidnap human 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 363 

beings by the thousand, bring them to America, sell 
them into perpetual bondage ? Never mind the part- 
ing of husband and wife, parents and children; the 
encouraging the savage ferocity of those poor degraded 
heathen. Tell them the Christian religion sanctions 
their bloody wars among themselves; and that it is 
to make Christians of them that you buy and trans- 
port them to "the land of the free and the home of 
the brave." Have no scruples of conscience about 
the thousands that are murdered in these wars, insti- 
gated by Christians, or that die on their passage from 
the land of barbarism to this Christian land of uni- 
versal freedom: "the great end will sanctify the 
means." Crowd the slave ships, or "floating hells;" 
all, all is to better their condition. It is a god-like 
deed of mercy, and why should not Methodist preach- 
ers, bishops and all, have a large share in this benev- 
olent and Christian affair? Who can forbid? And 
let the officers of these slave vessels never forget to 
tell these savage tribes that there is at least one very 
popular Church in America that sanctions all these 
operations, and will justify them; namely, the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church South. 

Prior to the General conference of 1836, the run- 
mad spirit of rabid abolitionism had broken out in 
some of the eastern and northern conferences; and 
Methodist preachers were found by the dozen to quit 
their appropriate fields of labor, and their holy calling 
of saving souls, and turn out and become hired lectur- 
ers against slavery. So zealous were they, that they 
forgot their pastoral duties ; and they went so far as 
violently to oppose colonization as a slaveholding 
trick. Dr. Fisk was a good man and true, and 
was as much opposed to slavery as any of them, 
yet he was for occupying the real Methodist preacher 



364 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ground, and bearing his plain, honest testimony against 
the moral evil of slavery, and not meddling with it 
politically, only in a constitutional way. He, seeing 
that this rabid abolitionism would rivet the chains of 
slavery the tighter, rouse the jealousies of the slave- 
holders, and disrupt the Methodist Church, flung 
himself into the breach, and met those lecturers in 
open combat ; vanquished them in argument, and 
compelled them to retreat or bolt, and set up for 
themselves. 0. Scott and his coadjutors formed 
themselves into a separate party organization, calling 
themselves the "True Wesleyans;" but long since 
they have found, to their sorrow, that they misnamed 
the brat, for the secession that they produced was a 
very feeble, little, illegitimate child. But they nursed 
it till it took the rickets; and the last I heard of it, 
it was fast wasting away, and " the last state of it is 
worse than the first." 

Under these circumstances. Dr. Fisk stood in the 
general confidence of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
north and south, east and w^est; and although he was 
not present at the General conference at Cincinnati, 
yet when we were about to elect three new bishops, 
Dr. Winans, of Mississippi, a thorough southern man, 
and a great defender of slavery, rose, and in open 
conference nominated Dr. Fisk for episcopal honors; 
and if I am not greatly mistaken, nearly the entire 
southern delegation voted for him, and he was elected 
by a great majority of the members of the General 
conference. But Dr. Fisk, thinking that the episco- 
pate was strong enough without him, declined being 
ordained, and lived and died without episcopal conse- 
cration. It is a pity that more Methodist preachers do 
not follow the illustrious course pursued by Dr. Fisk. 
Then we should benefit the slaves more than we do. 



PETER CART W III GET. 865 

At tlie General conference of 1836 there were six 
new conferences formed; two in the w^est, namely, 
Arkansas and Michigan, and four in the east, namely, 
Erie, North Carolina, Oneida, and New Jersey. The 
number of members in the west was about 262,690 ; 
our traveling preachers in the west had increased to 
1,069. The number of members in the eastern con- 
ferences was about 396,000; their traveling preachers 
numbered about 3,560. Total membership, 658,690; 
total traveling preachers, 4,629. Our increase in the 
west, in four years, was something like 45,000 ; in 
traveling preachers we had increased about 300. 
The increase in the eastern conferences, according to 
the Minutes, was 14,000; their increase in traveling 
preachers was something like 200. Total increase 
through the connection, in four years, 59,000. 

Thus, I think, without any disposition to boast in 
the least degree, I may say, in the fear of God, that, 
under the divine guidance of the great Redeemer, 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, in point of pros- 
perity and increase of number in her ministry and 
membership, stands without an equal in the Protest- 
ant world since the days of the apostles. 0, that she 
may keep humble, and never move her old land- 
marks ! 

Our venerable Bishop M'Kendree, of whom I have 
spoken freely in another part of this narrative, who 
labored long and suffered much as a traveling 
preacher, had closed his mortal probation on March 
the 5th, 1835. At the General conference at Cincin- 
nati, in May, 1836, Bishop Soule preached the funeral 
sermon of this eminent minister and unrivaled Bishop 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. That sermon 
has been published and thrown broad-cast over the 
world, and I therefore have no need to say any thing 



366 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

in relation to its merits. But I wish to say a few 
brief things of Bishop M'Kendree himself. 

If my information be correct, he was born in King 
William county, Virginia, 6th of July, 1757. In an 
extensive and glorious revival of religion, under the 
ministerial labors of John Easter, a real son of thun- 
der and of consolation too, M'Kendree embraced re- 
ligion and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
In a few months he was licensed to preach, and was 
appointed to a circuit. He was very diffident and 
distrustful of his own abilities as a preacher. The 
members of the Church did not receive him kindly. 
This he told me himself, and under the discourage- 
ment he met with from his brethren, he left his cir- 
cuit, conceiving that he was mistaken about his call 
to the ministry, but he fell into good hands among 
the preachers, and they advised, cheered, and com- 
forted him, and soon he entered the work again. 

These were the times of the schism created in the 
Church by James O'Kelly, who had a great influence 
over M'Kendree, and for a little while he inclined 
to leave the Methodist Episcopal Church and go with 
this popular schismatic. But he was not hasty, and 
narrowly watched the spirit and course of O'Kelly, 
till he became thoroughly satisfied that O'Kelly 
was of a wrong and wicked spirit, and that the great 
moving cause of O'Kelly's disaffection was disap- 
pointed ambition. He then gave up O'Kelly, fully 
satisfied that Bishop Asbury and his preachers were 
right, and from this to the day of his death he never 
wavered or doubted on the grand landmarks of 
Episcopal Methodism. 

Bishop M'Kendree was the gentleman as well as 
Christian minister. He was a profound theologian, 
and understood thoroughly the organic laws of ecclesi- 



PETER CARTWRIGIIT. 367 

astic government; he was a dignified, shrewd parlia- 
mentary presiding officer, a profound judge of human 
nature, and one of the strongest debaters and log- 
ical reasoners that ever graced an American pulpit. 
At an early period of his ministry he was transferred 
to the Western conference, and, considering the 
hardships, privations, and sufferings of frontier life, 
and the delicacy of his constitution, he bore it all 
with great cheerfulness and resignation, and truly he 
was, in his feelings and habits, a western man and a 
western bishop. When his end drew near, death 
found him duly prepared for his change, and on his 
dying pillow and amid surrounding friends, he was 
enabled to proclaim, "All is well." He died in 
Sumner county, Tennessee state, at his brother's. 
Dr. M'Kendree, and was buried in his brother's fami- 
ly burying-ground, where all that is mortal of Bishop 
M'Kendree will repose till the general resurrection. 

Dr. Jennings, of Baltimore, was employed to write 
his life for publication, and after making some prog- 
ress in the work, declined its prosecution any further. 
Then the General conference of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, in 1840, requested Bishop Soule to 
prepare a history of his life and labors for publica- 
tion, but by some strange neglect Bishop Soule de- 
layed doing so till the unhappy division of the Church, 
and then Bishop Soule seceded from the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and joined the Church South, and 
I suppose if ever the life of Bishop M'Kendree is pub- 
lished at all, the Methodist Episcopal Church will be 
deprived of the benefit of it. It is to be regretted 
that this work has been so long delayed, and we think 
unnecessarily so. 



368 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OE 



CHAPTER XXY. 

THE NEW-SCHOOL PREACHEE. 

In the fall of 1836 our conference was held in 
Rushville, Illinois state. Bishop R. R. Roberts at- 
tended and presided. My field of labor had for four 
years been the Quincy district. My constitutional 
time was out, and I was again appointed to the San- 
gamon district, which was composed of the following 
appointments : Jacksonville station, Jacksonville cir- 
cuit, Winchester, Springfield station, Sangamon, Flat 
Branch, Athens, Pecan mission, Beardstown mission, 
nine in all. It will be perceived that Beardstown 
was this year first formed into a distinct station, and 
Dr. P. Akers appointed missionary. It will also be 
noticed that the Illinois conference, at this date, not 
only reached to the northern limits of the state, but 
had spread with the constantly increasing population 
into Wisconsin and Iowa territories, and covered, in its 
missionary stations, almost the entire unbroken Indian 
country, now called the Minnesota territory, and we 
had thirteen presiding-elder districts, and at our an- 
nual conference, held in Jacksonville, Morgan county, 
September 27, 1837, we had over one hundred and 
thirty traveling preachers, and over twenty-one thou- 
sand members. Any one of our traveling preachers 
was liable to be sent from the mouth of the Ohio and 
Wabash rivers nearly to the head waters of the Mis- 
sissippi, a thousand or twelve hundred miles, and all 
the northern part of our conference was frontier work 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 369 

or Indian wilds. Hard were our labors, but glorious 
was our success. 

This year, 1837, J. T. Mitchell was appointed to 
the Jacksonville station, and we had a blessed revi- 
val of religion in the station, and a number were 
added to the Church. At one of our quarterly meet- 
ings there was a minister who was what was called a 
New-School minister, and he was willing to work any 
where. When the mourners presented themselves at 
the altar of prayer, he would talk to them, and exhort 
them to " change their purpose," and assured them 
that all who changed their purpose were undoubted 
Christians. I plainly saw he was doing mischief, and 
I went immediately after him, and told them not to 
depend on a change of purpose in order to become a 
Christian, but to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ 
with a heart unto righteousness, and they should be 
saved. Thus I had to counteract the false sentiments 
inculcated by this New-School minister. It is very 
strange to me to think these educated and home- 
manufactured preachers do not understand the plain, 
Bible doctrine of the new birth better. They say 
man is a free agent in so far as to change his purpose, 
and in changing his purpose he is constituted a new 
creature. Thus he makes himself a Christian by his 
own act without the Spirit of God. 

This year we had a gracious work of religion in the 
town of Winchester, in the Winchester circuit. We 
had no meeting-house or church built there at this 
time to worship in, and when our quarterly meeting 
came on the friends had procured an unfinished frame 
building, large and roomy, to hold the quarterly 
meeting in. There was a very large concourse of 
people in attendance. The house was crowded to 
overflowing; our seats were temporary; no altar, no 



370 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

pulpit, but our meeting progressed with great interest. 
The members of the Church were greatly revived, 
many backsliders wxre reclaimed, and scores of weep- 
ing and praying sinners crowded our temporary altar 
that we had erected. 

There happened to be at our quarterly meeting a 
fresh, green, live Yankee from down east. He had 
regularly graduated, and had his diploma, and was 
regularly called, by the Home Missionary Society, to 
visit the far-off west — a perfect moral waste, in his 
view of the subject; and having been taught to be- 
lieve that we were almost cannibals, and that Method- 
ist preachers were nothing but a poor, illiterate set of 
ignoramuses, he longed for an opportunity to display 
his superior tact and talent, and throw us poor 
upstarts of preachers in the west, especially Method- 
ist preachers, into the shades of everlasting darkness. 
He, of course, was very forward and officious. He 
would, if I had permitted it, have taken the lead of 
our meeting. At length I thought I would give him 
a chance to ease himself of his mighty burden, so I 
put him up one night to read his sermon. The frame 
building we were worshiping in was not plastered, 
and the wind blew hard ; our candles flared and gave 
a bad light, and our ministerial hero made a very 
awkward out in reading his sermon. The congrega- 
tion paid a heavy penance and became restive; he 
balked, and hemmed, and coughed at a disgusting 
rate. At the end of about thirty minutes the great 
blessing came : he closed, to the great satisfaction of 
all the congregation. 

I rose and gave an exhortation, and had a bench 
prepared, to which I invited the mourners. They 
came in crowds ; and there was a solemn power rested 
on the congregation. My little hot-house reader 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 371 

seemed to recover from his paroxysm of a total fail- 
ure, as though he had done all right, and, uninvited, 
he turned in to talk to the mourners. He would ask 
them if they did not love Christ ; then he would try 
to show them that Christ was lovely; then he would 
tell them it was a very easy thing to become a Chris- 
tian ; that they had only to resolve to be a Christian, 
and instantly he or she was a Christian. I listened 
a moment, and saw this heterodoxy would not do ; that 
it produced jargon and confusion. I stepped up to 
him and said : 

" Brother, you do n't know how to talk to mourners. 
I want you to go out into the congregation, and ex- 
hort sinners." 

He did not appear the least disconcerted, but at my 
bidding he left the altar, and out he went into the 
crowd, and turned in to talking to sinners. There 
was a very large man, who stood a few steps from the 
mourners, who weighed about two hundred and thirty 
pounds ; he had been a professor, but was backslid- 
den. The power of God arrested him, and he cried 
out aloud for mercy, standing on his feet. My little 
preacher turned round, and pressed back through the 
crowd ; and coming up to this large man, reached up, 
and tapped him on the shoulder, saying, 

"Be composed; be composed." 

Seeing, and indistinctly hearing this, I made my 
way to him, and cried out at the top of my voice, 

"Pray on, brother; pray on, brother; there's no 
composure in hell or damnation." 

And just as I crowded my way to this convicted 
man, who was still crying aloud for mercy, the little 
preacher tapped him again on the shoulder, saying, 

"Be composed; be composed, brother." 

I again responded : 



372 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

"Pray on, brother; pray on., brother; there is no 
composure in hell." 

I said to the throng that crowded the aisle that led 
to the altar, 

" Do, friends, stand back, till I get this man to the 
mourners' bench." 

But they were so completely jammed together that 
it seemed almost impossible for me to get through 
with my mourner. I let go his arm, and stepped for- 
ward to open the way to the altar, and just as I 
had opened the aisle, and turned to go back, and 
lead him to the mourners' bench, the Lord spoke 
peace to his soul, standing on his feet; and he cried, 
"Glory to God," and in the ecstasy of his joy, he 
reached forward to take me in his arms; but, fortu- 
nately for me, two men were crowded into the aisle 
between him and myself, and he could not reach me. 
Missing his aim in catching me, he wheeled round 
and caught my little preacher in his arms, and lifted 
him up from the floor; and being a large, strong man, 
having great physical power, he jumped from bench 
to bench, knocking the people against one another on 
the right and left, front and rear, holding up in his 
arms the little preacher. The little fellow stretched 
out both arms and both feet, expecting every mo- 
ment to be his last, when he would have his neck 
broken. ! how I desired to be near this preacher 
at that moment, and tap him on the shoulder, and 
say, "Be composed; be composed, brother!" But as 
solemn as the times were, I, with many others, could 
not command my risibilities, and for the moment, it 
had like to have checked the rapid flow of good feel- 
ing with those that beheld the* scene ; but you may 
depend on it, as soon as the little hot-bed parson 
could make his escape, he was missing. 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 373 

Our annual conference was held in Alton this fall, 
September 12, 1838. Owing to the Ioav stage of 
water in the Ohio river. Bishop Soule was detained 
on the way, and did not reach Alton till the fourth 
day of the conference. He not being present when 
we organized, I was elected president of the confer- 
ence till the Bishop arrived. 

In the fall of 1839 our Illinois conference was 
held in Springfield, Sangamon county; here we 
elected our delegates to the eighth delegated General 
conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. I 
was one of the delegates, and this was the seventh 
General conference to which I was elected. Our 
General conference sat in Baltimore, May 1, 1840. 
At this conference the unhappy agitation of slavery 
was revived. The two ultra parties had their repre- 
sentatives there. The slavery party from the south 
contended that slavery was no disqualification for the 
episcopal office. The abolitionists from the north 
contended that slavery was a sin under all circum- 
stances. This party was led on by 0. Scott ; and 
they urged that it should not only be a test of office, 
but of membership, in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church in the slaveholding states, as well as the free 
states. Our Committee on Episcopacy had recom- 
mended the election of two more bishops ; believing 
that if we went into an election of these officers of 
the Church a conflict on the subject would ensue, 
and believing that the then present incumbents of 
that office could discharge all the labors necessary 
for the healthy action of the Church, I flung myself 
against the election of any more bishops at that con- 
ference. In this nearly all the conservative mem- 
bers of the General conference joined me, and thereby 
defeated the designs of both the ultra parties, and 



374 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

every aspiring expectant for that office, for tlie time 
being, and, in all probability, a rupture in the Church. 
At this General conference the following additional 
annual conferences were formed : Rock River, North 
Ohio, Memphis, and Texas, all in the west and 
south-west. Rock River conference was stricken off 
from the Illinois conference, and consisted of the 
following presiding-elder districts : Chicago, Ottawa, 
Mount Morris, Burlington, Iowa, Indian Mission, 
Plattville, and Milwaukie ; eight in number. 

The Illinois conference consisted of the following 
presiding-elder districts, namely : Danville, Mount 
Vernon, Vandalia, Lebanon, Jacksonville, Spring- 
field, Quincy, Knoxville, and Bloomington; nine in 
number. We had in Rock River conference 6,585 
members, and 75 traveling preachers ; in Illinois 
conference we had 24,687 members, and 103 travel- 
ing preachers. North Ohio conference was stricken 
off from the Ohio conference ; the Memphis conference 
was stricken off from the Tennessee conference ; the 
Texas conference was taken from Mississippi con- 
ference, and had three presiding-elder districts, 
namely, San Augustine, Galveston, Rutersville; hav- 
ing 18 traveling preachers, and 1,853 members. 
Thus you see in the two original divisions of the 
work, namely, east and west, the east had sixteen 
annual conferences ; and the west, with her enlarge- 
ments, had sixteen annual conferences; making, in 
all, thirty-two, besides the Liberia Mission confer- 
ence and the Canadas, which were under foreign gov- 
ernments. 

The eastern division of the work had, in members, 
466,561 ; in traveling preachers, 3,125 : the member- 
ship in the west was, 375,433; traveling preachers 
we had, 1,447. Total in members, 841,994; in trav- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 3T5 

eling preachers, 4,572. Increase in four years in tlie 
east was, in members, 60,500; in the western division 
was over 11,200. 

Here I wish to remark that the abolition party up 
to this time had universally, as far as I knew, opposed 
most strenuously the Colonization Society; and it 
really appeared to me that if they could not effect an 
immediate emancipation and a restoration of the peo- 
ple of color to equal rights and privileges with the 
whites, they did not care what became of them. I will 
state a case. In Natchez, Mississippi, the Methodist 
Episcopal Church had erected a good, substantial 
church at a considerable cost. The galleries of the 
church were appropriated for the use and benefit of 
the colored people. Some time in 1839 or 1840 a 
fearful tornado had swept over the town of Natchez, 
and done a great deal of damage ; and among the 
rest, it had well-nigh overturned the Methodist 
church, so that it was not safe to worship in it. The 
society was weak, and comparatively poor. In this 
situation they were deprived of any suitable place to 
worship in, either the whites or blacks. 

The delegates from the Mississippi conference came 
on to the General conference, and asked aid of their 
eastern brethren, and of the members of the General 
conference, to rebuild or refit their church ; and a 
collection was taken up in the conference for this 
purpose ; and if my memory serves me, the members 
of the General conference gave them over one thou- 
sand dollars; but our abolition brethren would not 
give any thing, alleging that the Church or the Gospel 
could do no good to either the slaves or slaveholders, 
so long as slavery existed among them. I went to 
those members of the General conference who refused, 
and tried to reason the case with them ; but all in 



376 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

vain. I urged that these poor slaves could not help 
themselves ; they were in bondage, not of choice, but 
from circumstances beyond their control ; and we 
ought not to withhold the Gospel from them, for it 
was all the comfort these poor slaves could have in 
this life, or to fit them for happiness in the life to 
come. But no ; it was upholding and countenancing 
slavery, and, therefore, their consciences would not 
let them contribute any thing. Now look at it ; who 
does not see that there was a wrong and fanatical 
spirit which actuated them, and that their consciences, 
for solidity and rotundity, very much resembled a 
ram's horn. But this false view has prevented many, 
very many from doing their duty by these poor chil- 
dren of Ham. 

In the fall of 1840-41 I was appointed to Jackson- 
ville district; and on September 15, 1841, our an- 
nual conference was held in Jacksonville. Bishop 
Morris presided. The Jacksonville district embraced 
the following appointments, namely: Carrollton sta- 
tion, CarroUton circuit, Grafton, Whitehall, Winches- 
ter, Jacksonville station, Jacksonville circuit, and 
Manchester, eight appointments. In the course of 
this year we had a camp quarterly meeting, for 
the Winchester circuit, in what was called Egypt. 
We had a beautiful camp-ground, a few miles from 
Winchester. There was a general turn-out among 
the members, who tented on the ground. William D. 
R. Trotter was the circuit preacher. 

We had been threatened by many of the baser sort, 
that they would break up our camp meeting; and 
there was a general rally from the floating population 
of the river, and the loose-footed, doggery-haunting, 
dissipated renegades of the towns and villages all 
round. Thev came and pitched their tents a few 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 377 

hundred yards from the camp-ground. Many also 
came in wagons and carriages, bringing whisky and 
spirits of diiferent kinds, pies, cigars, tobacco, etc. 
We had many respectable tent-holders and proper 
officers on the ground, but I plainly saw we were 
to have trouble, so I summoned the tent-holders 
and friends of good order together, and we adopted 
rules to govern the meeting, and then urged them, 
one and all, to aid me in executing those rules for 
the maintenance of good order. But I thought there 
was a disposition in some of the friends to shrink 
from responsibility, and that they must be roused to 
action. 

When we were called to the stand by the sound of 
the trumpet, I called the attention of the congregation 
to the absolute necessity of keeping good order. I 
stated that my father was a Revolutionary soldier, and 
fought for the liberties we enjoyed, and all the boon he 
had left me was liberty ; and that, as the responsible 
officer of the camp meeting, if the friends of order and 
the sworn officers of the law would give me backing, 
I would maintain order at the risk of my life. My 
lecture roused the friends of order, and they gave me 
their countenance and aid; but the whisky-sellers and 
whisky-drinkers, nothing daunted, commenced their 
deeds of darkness. Some were soon drunk, and inter- 
rupted our devotions very much. I then ordered 
several writs, and took into custody several of those 
whisky-venders and drunken rowdies ; but these row- 
dies rose in mob force, and rescued the whisky-seller 
and his wagon and team from the officer of the law. 
The officer came running to me, and informed me of 
the rising of the mob, and that the whisky man was 
given up, and was making his escape ; and it appeared 
to me he was very much scared. I told him to sum- 



878 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF 

mon me and five other men that I named, and I would 
insure the retaking of the transgressor, in spite of any 
mob. He did so. We rushed upon them and stopped 
the team. The man that had transgressed drew a weap- 
on, and ordered us to stand off; that he would kill the 
first man that touched him : and as one of the men and 
myself that were summoned to take him rushed on 
him, he made a stroke at my companion with his 
weapon, but missed him. I then sprang upon him 
and caught him by the collar, and jerked him over the 
wagon bed, in which he was standing, among his bar- 
rels. He fell on all-fours. I jumped on him, and told 
him he was my prisoner, and that if he did not sur- 
render I should hurt him. The deputy sheriff of the 
county, who was with the mob, and a combatant at 
that, ran up to me and ordered me to let the prisoner 
go. I told him I should not. He said if I did not he 
w^ould knock me over. I told him if he struck to 
make a sure lick, for the next was mine. Our ofiicer 
then commanded me to take the deputy sheriff, and I 
did so. He scuffled a little; but finding himself in 
rather close quarters, he surrendered. 

We then took thirteen of the mob, the whisky- 
seller, and the sheriff, and marched them off to the 
magistrate, to the tune of good order. They were 
fined by the justice of the peace; some paid their fine, 
some appealed to court. This appealing we liked 
well, because they then had to give security, and this 
secured the fine and costs, which some of them were 
not able to pay. 

This somewhat checked them for a while, but they 
rallied again and gave us trouble. There was one 
man, a turbulent fellow, who sold whisky about a 
quarter of a mile off. He had often interrupted us 
by selling whisky at our camp meetings. He gener- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 379 

ally went armed with deadly weapons, to keep off 
officers. I sent the constable after him, but he had a 
musket, well loaded, and would not be taken. He 
kept a drinking party round him nearly all night; 
however, toward morning they left him, and went off 
to sleep as best they could, and he lay down in his 
wagon, and went to sleep, with his loaded musket by 
his side. 

Just as the day dawned I slipped over the creek and 
came up to his wagon. He was fast asleep. I reached 
over the wagon bed and gathered his gun and am- 
munition ; then struck the wagon bed with the muzzle 
of the musket, and cried out, "Wake up! wake up!" 
He sprang to his feet, and felt for his gun. I said, 
"You are my prisoner; and if you resist, you are a 
dead man!" He begged me not to shoot, and said 
that he would surrender. I told him to get out of the 
wagon, and march before me to the camp-ground; 
that I was going to have him tried for violating good 
order and the laws of his country. He began to beg 
most piteously, and said if I would only let him escape 
that time, he would gear up and go right away, and 
never do the like again. I told him to harness his 
team, and start. He did so. When he got ready to 
go I poured out his powder, and fired off his musket 
and gave it to him ; and he left us, and troubled us 
no more. 

On Sunday night the rowdies all collected at the 
Mormon camp. It was so called, because some Mor- 
mons had come and pitched a tent a quarter of a mile 
from our encampment, with whisky and many other 
things to sell. They ate and drank ; and by way of 
mockery, and in contempt of religion, they held 
a camp meeting; they preached, prayed, called for 
mourners^ shouted, and kept up a continual annoy- 



380 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ance. They sent me word they would give me ten 
dollars if I would bring an officer and a company to 
take them ; that they could whip our whole encamp- 
ment. They fixed out their watchers. 

I bore it, and waited till late in the night; and 
when most of our tent-holders were retired to rest, I 
rose from my bed, dressed myself in some old shabby 
clothing that I had provided for the purpose, and 
sallied forth. It was a beautiful moonlight night. 
Singly and alone I went up to the Mormon camp. 
When I got within a few rods of their encampment I 
stopped, and stood in the shadow of a beautiful sugar- 
tree. Their motley crowd were carrying on at a 
mighty rate. One young man sprung upon a bar- 
rel, and called them to order, saying he was going to 
preach to them and must and would have order, at 
the risk of his life. Said he, ^'My name is Peter 
Cartwright: my father fought through the old war 
with England, and helped to gain our independence, 
and all the legacy he left me was liberty. Come to 
order and take your seats, and hear me!" 

They obeyed him and took their seats. He then 
sung and prayed, rose up, took his text, and harangued 
them about half an hour. He then told them he was 
going to call for mourners, and ordered a bench 
to be set out; and it was done. He then invited 
mourners to come forward and kneel down to be 
prayed for. A vast number of the crowd came and 
kneeled, more than his bench could accommodate. 
This self-styled preacher, or orator of the night, then 
called lustily for another bench ; and still they crowd- 
ed to it. A thought struck me that I would go and 
kneel with them, as this would give me a fine chance 
to let loose on them at a proper time; but as I had 
determined to rout the whole company and take their 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 381 

camp single-handed and alone, I declined kneeling 
with the mourners. So this young champion of the 
devil called on several to pray for these mourners ; he 
exhorted them almost like a real preacher. Several 
pretended to get religion, and jumped and shouted at 
a fearful rate. Their preacher by this time was pretty 
much exhausted, and became thirsty. He ordered a 
pause in their exercise, and called for something to 
drink; he ordered the tent-holder to bring the best 
he had. 

Just at this moment I fetched two or three loud 
whoops, and said, "Here! here! here, officers and 
men, take them! take them! every one of them, 
tent-holders and all !" and I rushed on them. They 
broke, and ran pell-mell. Fortunately, five or six 
little lads were close by, from our encampment, who 
had been watching me raise the shout, and rushed 
with me into their camp ; but all the motley crowd 
fled, tent-holders and all, and the lads and myself 
had not only peaceable, but entire possession of all 
their whisky, goods, chattels, and some arms, and not 
a soul to dispute our right of possession. Thus you 
see a literal fulfillment of Scripture, "The wicked 
fleeth when no man pursueth ;" or, " One shall chase 
a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight." 

There are but very few hardened wretches who 
disturb religious worship but what at heart are 
base cowards; this I have proved to my entire satis- 
faction throughout my ministerial life, for more than 
fifty years. I will here say, on Monday, the day after 
the rout of the Mormon camp, the power of God fell 
on our congregation, and the whole encampment was 
lighted with the glory of God. The Church, or 
members of the Church, were greatly blessed, and 
felt fully compensated for all the toil and trouble that 



382 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

they had been at in pitching their tents in the grove 
and waiting upon the Lord a few days and nights. 
Hardened sinners were brought to bow before the 
Lord, and some of them were soundly converted. 
And I will record it to the glory of the stupen- 
dous grace of God, that the young man who had 
been the ringleader in the ranks of these disturbers 
of God's people, and the mock preacher in the Mor- 
mon camp the night before, was overtaken by the 
mighty power of God, and awfully shaken as it were 
over hell. He fell prostrate before God and all the 
people he had so much disturbed and persecuted, 
and cried for mercy as from the verge of damnation, 
and never rested till God reclaimed him, for he was 
a wretched backslider. I had known him in Ten- 
nessee, and had often preached in his father's house. 

Of the disorderly fellows who had been arrested and 
fined, and had appealed to the court, hardly one of 
them came to a good end, or died a natural death; 
some ran away to Texas, some were stabbed in 
affrays of different kinds; it seemed as if God had 
put a mark on them, and his fearful judgments follow- 
ed them even into strange and distant lands. When 
their appeals came on for trial in court, there were 
two distinguished lawyers who volunteered to con- 
duct the prosecution against them ; one of them was 
the lamented General Hardin, of Morgan county, who 
afterward fell in Mexico in General Taylor's army, at 
the memorable battle of Buena Vista, while fighting, 
or contending with Santa Anna's unprincipled min- 
ions; but he died like a brave soldier and subordinate 
officer. Peace to his memory ! He was considered a 
worthy member of the Presbyterian Church, and a 
stanch friend to good order. 

The other lawyer, Mr. Sanbourn, though somewhat 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 383 

dissipated at times, was a talented gentleman of the 
bar, and a friend to religious order. These gentle- 
men, without fee or reward, volunteered their services 
to prosecute these wretched disturbers of the worship 
of God, and bj their eloquent appeals to the jurors 
made these trangressors quail before the public bar 
of their country ; and these suits, first and last, cost 
those offenders against the morals of their country 
over three hundred dollars, showing them clearly 
that the way of the transgressor is hard. I must re- 
mark here that I was much pleased with the decision 
of Judge Lockwood, who presided at the trial; his 
decision was substantially this, that no matter what 
the articles were that were sold at a place of worship, 
if it disturbed the peace and quiet of the worship- 
ers, it was punishable by the statute that was enacted 
for the protection of worshiping assemblies ; that as 
a free people, where there was no religious test, we 
had a right to assemble and establish our own forms, 
or rules of order, and that any thing which infracted 
those rules of order made to govern a worshiping 
congregation, the law made a high misdemeanor, and 
therefore those who transgressed those rules were 
punishable by the law. Our present law to protect 
worshiping congregations is too loose and obscure. 
In the hands of good officers of the law, the present 
statute will protect people in the sacred right to 
worship God ; but in the hands of corrupt officers it 
is often construed to screen offenders, and thereby 
give encouragement to disorderly persons to trample 
with impunity on the rights of religious people. I 
have often wondered why legislative bodies of men 
should be so reluctant to pass a stringent law on this 
subject. If people do n't like the forms of worship 
of any religious denomination, let them stay away ; 



384 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

but if they will attend their religious assemblies, they 
ought to behave themselves ; and if they will not be- 
have and conform, they ought by law to be compelled" 
to do it, or punished severely for trampling under foot 
the rights of a free people assembled for the express 
purpose of peaceably worshiping God. The good 
book is right when it declares, "When the wicked 
bear rule the land mourneth," and that '' righteous- 
ness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any 
people;" but we still hope to see better days, better 
laws, and better administrators of law. The Lord 
hasten it in his time ! 



PETER CARTWRiaHT. 385 



CHAPTER XXVL 

CHURCH IN A CABIN. 

In the fall of 1842 our Illinois conference was 
held in Winchester, Scott county, September 14th ; 
Bishop Roberts presided, and I was continued on 
the Jacksonville district. The reader will indulge 
me in saying a few things about my own immediate 
neighborhood. When I settled here in 1824, there was 
no society nearer than five miles on Rock creek, to 
which place my family had to go for circuit preach- 
ing and class meeting every Sunday, if they attended 
any where. There was in my immediate settlement 
but one single member of the Methodist Church, be- 
sides my own family. This member was a wddow 
lady, a very fine woman, and I think a consistent 
Christian. 

The country was entirely new and almost in a state 
of nature ; we had no churches to worship in ; nearly 
all the citizens lived in newly-built cabins. We thought 
we would open our cabin for preaching, and did so, 
and invited the neighbors to come and hear the word 
of God, and worship with us. I formed a small class 
of about twelve, including three of my own family, 
and we kept circuit preaching in our humble dwelling 
for fourteen years, during which time our little class 
continued with various successes and depressions from 
year to year. Sometimes by emigration we increased 
considerably, and then, when these new emigrants 
would select homes for themselves, and move off, we 

33 



886 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

would be reduced almost to the number with which we 
started. 

About this time my wife's health was very poor, so 
that entertaining preaching every two weeks, and 
class meeting every Sunday, became a little too 
much for her strength. I determined to build a 
church; but how was it to be done? The society 
was small and poor, the citizens outside of the society 
were comparatively poor, and not friendly to the 
Methodists ; but I determined to build a house to 
worship God in, and accordingly I opened a subscrip- 
tion, had trustees appointed, gave a lot of ground to 
build the church on, and subscribed one hundred 
dollars toward its erection. But when I presented 
my subscription paper to neighbors round, there were 
many objections and excuses; some wanted it for 
school purposes as well as a church ; some said if I 
would make it a Union church for all denominations, 
they would then help, but they would not give any 
thing if it was to be deeded to the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. To these objections I answered, No, 
friends ; a church should never be a school-house ; 
and as for a Union church, I never knew one built 
on this principle but what became a bone of conten- 
tion and created strife, and ended in confusion ; that 
a church should always belong to some religious de- 
nomination that would take care of it, and I was 
going to build a church for the Methodists ; if they 
would help me I would thank them ; and if they did 
not see proper to do so, I would try without their 
help as best I could. Our help amounted to but 
little, but we commenced, and finally succeeded in 
building a neat little church, twenty-four by thirty 
feet, which cost us about six hundred dollars, of 
which I had to pay about three hundred. I strug- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 387 

gled hard, and sometimes thought my load was too 
heavy to get along with, but my creed was never to 
back out unless I found myself wrong. 

Shortly after we finished the house, brother Heath, 
now of California, and brother H. Wallace, of the 
Griggsville district, Illinois conference, were our cir- 
cuit preachers, and it pleased the Lord to pour out 
his Holy Spirit upon our congregation and settlement 
generally, and we had a glorious revival, resulting in 
about forty conversions and accessions to the Church. 
I then thought that the use I had made of the $300 
in building the church, was the best investment I had 
ever made in all my life. We called the house 
" Pleasant Plains Church." 

Long since our little church became too small, and 
we have enlarged it so that it is now thirty feet by 
fifty. Our society increased so that a division has 
taken place, and another very respectable church has 
been built a few miles ofi", and the two societies num- 
ber near one hundred and eighty members, and the 
time is not distant when another church must be erect- 
ed a few miles south of the old stand. See what the 
Lord has done for us, under all the forbidding circum- 
stances that attended our little history in the last 
thirty years. Praise the Lord! 

I beg leave here to say that the first church, as far 
as I know, ever built in Sangamon county and San- 
gamon circuit, was on Spring creek, six miles west 
of Springfield. It was really a log-cabin, about eight- 
een feet by twenty, with a log partition cutting off a 
small part of it for a class-room. Here was one of 
the oldest classes ever formed in Sangamon circuit. 
In this httle house the society met and worshiped for 
many years ; and, on the lot donated for the church 
and burying-ground, the circuit erected a large and 



388 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

comfortable camp-ground, and many, very many, 
glorious camp meetings were held here, and I may 
safely say that hundreds of souls were born into the 
kingdom of God on this consecrated ground; and 
many of those who sung and shouted the high praises 
of God on this ground have long since fallen victims 
to death, and are now employed in singing praises to 
God and the Lamb, around the throne in heaven. 

This camp-ground was called "Watters's Camp- 
Ground." He lived near it, but years gone by he 
left the Church militant for the Church triumphant 
above. This spot is sacred to me, as several of my 
children were converted on it, and many of my best 
friends in heaven, as well as on earth, were converted 
here, and we have sung, and prayed, and shouted 
together, and I have a strong hope that we shall 
shortly sing together in heaven, and this singing and 
shouting will last forever. Amen. 

In 1840-41 Alton station, that had been attached to 
the Lebanon district, Charles Holliday presiding elder, 
was attached to the Jacksonville district, N. Hobart 
in charge. In the fall of 1842-43 N. S. Bastion and 
C. J. Houts were appointed to Alton. Our quarterly 
meeting came oif in the dead of the winter; and 
although it was bitter cold weather, we had a good 
congregation, and Divine power was present to heal. 
Many were converted and deeply penitent, and we 
found it necessary to protract the meeting. Mourners, 
in crowds, came to the altar for the prayers of the 
Church. Right in the midst of our revival, the keeper 
of the Eagle Tavern took it into his heart — not head, 
for that was nearly brainless — that he would stop our 
revivals; so he proclaimed that he w^as going to have a 
splendid free ball the next evening at the Eagle Tavern, 
and dispatched his runners and ticketed nearly the 



PETEK CART WEIGHT. 389 

whole city. Among the rest he sent me a ticket to tjie 
church, where we were having a very good meeting. 
Just before the congregation was dismissed I rose in 
the pulpit and read my ticket to the ball, and then 
announced that I could not attend the Eagle Tavern 
ball, for the reason that I was going to have a 
Methodist ball in the church the same evening, and 
requested the whole congregation to attend the 
Methodist ball, and get as many more to come with 
them as they could ; that my invitation they might 
consider as a free ticket; that I was sure we would 
have a better fiddler than they possibly could scare 
up at the Eagle Tavern. The thing took like wild- 
fire. The wickedest persons in the congregation elec- 
tioneered for the Methodist ball, and cried out shame 
on the tavern-keeper. When the evening came, after 
all the drilling and drumming of the tavern-keeper, 
he could not get ladies enough to dance a four-handed 
reel. He succeeded in getting two little girls and 
some men, and these mean fellows had well-nigh 
danced the children to death. Our church was 
crowded to overflowing. That night the arm of the 
Lord was made bare, and the mighty power of God 
was felt through the numerous crowd. Many came 
to the altar as weeping penitents, but rose therefrom 
with triumphant shouts of " Glory to God in the 
highest, peace on earth, good-will toward men." 

I now beg leave to relate an incident which oc- 
curred at this meeting ; I will do it as delicately as I 
wxll can. Among the crowd that came to the altar 
there were many women, and among them two good- 
looking, well-dressed young ladies, who were deeply 
affected; it seemed as if the great deep of their hearts 
was broken up. I was informed that they were under 
ill-fame, and an old sister in the Church was so dis- 



390 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

turbed about them that she wanted me to drive them 
from the altar, for fear we should be reproached and 
bring down persecution on the Church. I told her to 
be quiet, and let them alone, "for," said I, ''they 
must have religion, or be lost forever." But the old 
sister would not rest; she ran to brother Bastion and 
told him. He was a very sensitive man. He came 
to me and whispered, telling me they must be ordered 
away directly; it would ruin our meeting and stop 
the work. I begged him to let them alone. ''Now," 
said I, " brother, on the other side of the altar there 
are a dozen men that, in all probability, are guilty of 
as base conduct as these young women; why do n't 
you go and drive them from the altar? Do let them 
alone. Do you go and talk to the men, and I will 
attend to these females ; they must not be driven from 
the altar of prayer." But two of our old, squeamish 
sisters, when I turned away from brothier Bastion, re- 
newed their importunities with Bastion, and, while my 
attention w^as called to regulate the congregation, 
Bastion went and ordered these two women from the 
altar. They retired away back to a vacant seat and 
sat down, and wept bitterly. As soon as I discovered 
what was done, I followed those women to their seats, 
and talked with them and encouraged them, saying, 
"Although you may be rejected by mortals, God will 
not reject or spurn you from his presence. Mary 
Magdalene had seven devils, yet Christ cast them all 
out; the man in the tombs had a legion of devils in 
him, but Christ dispossessed them all." They asked 
me to pray for them. "Yes," said I, "with all my 
heart," and we knelt down and prayed. It seemed as 
if their hearts would break with the sorrow and 
anguish they felt ; and then, to punish those sensitive 
old sisters, I went and made them come and pray for 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 391 

them, and before we closed our meeting one of tliem 
professed to be converted, and I have no reason to 
doubt it. The other left the house weeping. She 
never returned to our meeting. Perhaps she was for- 
ever lost on account of this uncalled-for rebuke. 

The next time we opened the doors of the Church, 
to take in members, a number came and joined. This 
young woman, who had experienced religion, ad- 
vanced to the foot of the altar, but would not come 
and give me her hand. I saw she wanted to join, but 
was afraid, not having confidence to do so ; and she 
said, afterward, she thought the Church would not 
receive her. I went to her, took her by the hand, 
and asked her if she did not desire to join the Church. 
She said, with streaming eyes, ^'Yes, if the Church 
can possibly receive me, and grant me the lowest seat 
among God's people. " 

I lived to see this woman in other and after years, 
and with firm and unfaltering steps she lived up to 
her profession, and thoroughly redeemed herself from 
degradation, in the estimation of all who knew her. 
Now, dear reader, think of it. Did Christ reject the 
woman taken in adultery, or the woman of Samaria 
at the well, or any other poor wretched sinner, male 
or female, that ever came to him with a broken and 
contrite heart? Think of the significant words of 
the poet, 

''None are too vile, who will repent. 
Out of one sinner legions went, 
The Lord did him relieve," etc. 

It is a little singular why men, and women too, 
should feel such sensitiveness concerning females of 
ill-fame more than they do in relation to men ; espe- 
cially when they make efibrts to reform their lives 



392 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

and live religious, but it is so, though I can not see 
any just reason for it. 

This conference year, 1842-43, was a memorable 
one in many parts of our beloved Zion. Jacksonville 
district shared largely in revival influences. Several 
hundred were soundly converted, and over five hun- 
dred joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in the 
bounds of the district. We not only had the above- 
named revival in Alton, but brother Bird had a pros- 
perous year on the Carrollton circuit ; brother J. B. 
Houts considerable prosperity on the Whitehall cir- 
cuit ; brother Grubbs had a fine revival in the Jack- 
sonville station, but perhaps it was a jubilee to the 
Winchester circuit, under the labors of brother Nor- 
man Allen, and those that worked side by side with 
him pretty near the whole year. 

Naples, a beautiful little town on the east bank of 
the Illinois river, was one of the appointments in the 
Winchester circuit. The citizens were kind and 
friendly ; but, with a few exceptions, they were very 
wicked, and had long resisted and rejected the ofi'ers 
of mercy ; but at a protracted meeting gotten up and 
superintended by brother Allen, this wicked little 
town was awfully shaken by the power of God ; many 
tall sons and daughters of dissipation were made to 
quail under the power of God. From day to day, 
from evening to evening, they crowded the place of 
worship, and, with unmistakable signs of penitence, 
prostrated themselves at the mourners' bench. The 
cries of the penitent and the shouts of the converted 
were heard with awe and wonder by the wicked mul- 
titude that stood around. Deism gave way, Univer- 
salism caved in, skepticism, with its coat of many 
colors, stood aghast, hell trembled, devils fled, drunk- 
ards awoke to soberness, and, I may safely say. all 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 393 

ranks and grades of sinners were made to cry out, 
" Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved ?" 
The cries of penitents were not only heard in the 
church, but in the streets, in almost all the houses, 
by day and by night. Many were the thrilling inci- 
dents that attended this revival in Naples. More 
than one hundred were converted, and joined the 
Church, and the whole face of the town was changed ; 
and although some of them fell back into their old 
habits of vice, yet many of them stood firm as pillars 
in the house of God. The subjects of this revival 
were from the child of ten or twelve years to the 
hoary-headed sinner that stood trembling on the verge 
of the grave. 

Before this meeting closed in Naples, which was 
crowned with such signal success, our quarterly meet- 
ing commenced in a little town in the same circuit 
called Exeter. There Satan had long reigned without 
a rival, wickedness of all kinds abounded, and what 
made it the more deplorable, the wickedness of the 
people was sanctified by a Universalist priest or 
preacher, who assured them all of eternal salvation 
in heaven, irrespective of their moral conduct here 
on earth. I have thought, and do still think, if I 
were to set out to form a plan to contravene the laws 
of God, to encourage wickedness of all kinds, to cor- 
rupt the morals and encourage vice, and crowd hell 
with the lost and the wailings of the damned, the Uni- 
versalist plan should be the plan, the very plan, that 
I would adopt. "What has a Universalist, who really 
and sincerely believes that doctrine, to fear? Just 
nothing at all; for this flesh-pleasing, conscience-sooth- 
ing doctrine will not only justify him in his neglect 
of duty to God and man, but gives fallen nature an 
unlimited license to serve the devil with greediness. 



394 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

in any and every possible way that his degenerate, 
fallen soul requires or desires. 

A few years ago I had a neighbor who professed to 
be a confirmed Universalist. He contended with me 
that there was no devil but the evil disposition in 
man, and that there was no hell but the bad feelings 
that men had when they did wrong; that this was all 
the punishment any body would suffer. When this 
neighbor's father lay on his dying bed — a confirmed 
Universalist, professedly — there was a faithful minis- 
ter of Christ believed it his duty to visit this old Uni- 
versalist, and warn him of his danger, and try to 
awaken his conscience, if not seared, to a just view 
of his real situation. The minister, however, failed 
in his faithful attempt and well-meant endeavors ; 
for the old man, then on his dying pillow, was greatly 
offended at the preacher, and told him he did not 
thank him for trying to shake his faith in his dying 
moments. This neighbor of mine, and son of this 
old, hardened sinner, was greatly enraged at the 
preacher, and cursed and abused him in a violent 
manner. A few days after the demise of the old man, 
he, m a furious rage, began to abuse and curse the 
preacher in my presence, and said, 

" T> n him, I wish he was in hell, and the devil 

had him." 

I stopped him short by saying, "Pooh, pooh, man, 
what are you talking about ? There is no hell but the 
bad feelings that a man has when he does wrong, and 
no devil but the evil disposition that is in man." 
Thus answering a fool according to his folly. 

"Well," said he, "if there is no hell, there ought 
to be, to put such preachers in." 

"Now, sir," said I, " you see the utter untenableness 
of your creed, for a man, even in trying to do good 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 395 

honestly, draws down your wrath, and, in a moment, 
you want a hell to put him into, and a devil to tor- 
ment him, for giving you an offense, and for doing 
what no good man ought to be offended about. But 
God must be insulted, his name blasphemed, his laws 
trampled under foot, yet he must have no hell to put 
such wretches in, no devil to torment him. Now I 
would be ashamed of myself if I were in your place, 
and let the seal of truth close my lips forever here- 
after." 

Although he was confounded, he still clave to his 
God-dishonoring doctrine, waxing worse and worse, 
till it was generally believed he was guilty of a most 
heinous crime. 

But to return to the narrative. From the first ser- 
mon in Exeter, at the quarterly meeting, there were 
visible signs of good, and although the weather was 
intensely cold, yet our Church was crowded beyond 
its utmost capacity. The power of God arrested 
many careless sinners, and waked up many old form- 
al professors of religion. There was a large com- 
pany of young unfledged Universalists who came to 
look on and mock ; and so ignorant were they, that 
they did not imagine they would run into any pos- 
sible danger of taking these " Methodist fits," as they 
called the exercises that were going on. There were 
two sisters, young ladies, carried off with the soul-de- 
stroying doctrines of the Universalists, in attendance. 
In pressing through the crowd I saw one of them was 
deeply affected, and weeping. I went and talked with 
her. She saw her wretched condition. I invited her 
to go to the altar with the mourners ; she consented, 
and I led her there. I talked and prayed with her ; 
she was deeply engaged. Her sister did not know 
for some time that she was at the mourners' bench, 



Syt) AUTOBIOGKAPHY OP 

but presently some one told her. At this she flew 
into a violent rage, and said, at the risk of her life, 
she would have her out of that disgraceful place. I 
happened to turn mj face toward the door, and saw 
her coming ; the house was very much crowded ; some 
tried to stop her, but she rushed on. I rose and met 
her in the crowded aisle, and told her to be calm and 
desist. She made neither better nor worse of it than 
to draw back her arm and give me a severe slap 
in the face with her open hand. I confess this rather 
took me by surprise, and, as the common saying is, she 
made the fire fly out of my eyes in tremendous 
sparkling brilliancy; but collecting my best judg- 
ment, I caught her by the arms near her shoulders, 
and wheeled her to the right about, and moved her 
forward to the door, and said, " Gentlemen, please open 
the door; the devil in this Universalist lady has got 
fighting hot, and I want to set her outside to cool." 
The door was opened, and I landed her out with this 
assurance, that when she got in a good humor, and 
could behave herself like a decent lady ought to do, 
then, and not till then, she might come in again. I 
then closed the door, and set a watch to keep it to 
avoid further disturbance. 

I hardly returned to the altar when the young 
lady I had led there rose and gave us a heavenly 
shout, and then another, and another, till five 
in rapid succession raised the shout. It ran like 
electricity through the congregation ; sinners wept, 
quaked, and trembled, and saints shouted aloud for 
joy. Thus our meeting continued for a number of 
nights and days, and many souls were born into the 
kingdom of God. The whole country around for 
miles came to our meetings, were convicted and con- 
verted, and great was the joy of the people of 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 397 

God. Over one hundred professed religion, and 
nearly that number joined the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. 

There was a gentleman in this place who had been 
very wicked, a noted gambler, by the name of 

W 1; he was an esquire. He got under serious 

concern for his salvation, and sent for me ; I went 
and prayed with him. After talking with him a little 
he got up deliberately, went to his desk, took out his 
cards, stepped to the fire, and pitched them in, mak- 
ing a whole burnt-offering of them. Shortly after 
this he found peace, and was, as I believe, soundly 
converted to God. He seemed to have the innocence 
and simplicity of a child. He was very zealous 
for God, and gave great promise of doing good. He 
had a brother-in-law and sister in Nauvoo, among 
the self-deluded Mormons. His sister professed to 
have the gift of tongues, and his brother-in-law the 
gift of healing all manner of diseases, and the inter- 
pretation of tongues. 

This brother, in his zeal for God, was impressed that 
he must go to Nauvoo to convince his brother-in-law 
and sister, and all the rest of the Mormons, that they 
were wrong. I tried to dissuade him, knowing they 
were artful and cunning, and adepts in practicing 
frauds and religious jugglery, and that he was just in 
a state of mind to be deceived, without any experience 
of the devices of the devil, especially of his power to 
transform himself into an angel of light; but, despite 
all my remonstrances, go he must, and go he did ; and, 
as I predicted, they were ready for him. They told him 
that he was just right as far as he had gone; that the 
Methodists were right as far as they had gone, and 
next to the Latter-day Saints, alias Mormons, were 
the best people in all the land, but they had stopped 



898 AUTOBIOaEAPHY OP 

short of tlieir grand and glorious mission ; that they 
were afraid of persecution, and had shrunk from their 
duty; that if they had followed the light they would 
have taken the world, and that the best and holiest 
men and women among the Mormons had been mem- 
bers of the Methodist Church. They told him if he 
w^ould join the Mormons and live faithful, that in a 
very little time he would have the gift of tongues, 
and the gift of healing, so that by faith he would 
raise the dead as did the first Christians. The fatal 
bait was gulped down; they took him to the river 
and ducked him ; and when I last saw him he was in 
daily expectation of these great gifts. I told him he 
would never receive them ; and he promised me if he 
did not, he would leave them. What has become of 
him I know not, but it is probable he is at Utah, and 
has fifteen or twenty wives. 

I will name another incident connected with this 
revival. There was an interesting young man, well 
educated, and gentlemanly in all his conduct, from 
some of the eastern states. He boarded at a house 
I frequently visited. He was serious ; I talked to him, 
and he frankly admitted the real necessity of religion, 
and said, for his right hand he would not lay a straw 
in the way of any person to prevent him from get- 
ting religion ; but he said he was not ready to start 
in this glorious cause, but that he fully intended 
at some future time to seek religion. I urged him 
to submit now ; that in all probability he never would 
live to see so good a time to get religion as the pres- 
ent. He admitted all I said, and wept like a child; 
but I could not prevail on him to start now in this 
heavenly race. 

As our meeting was drawing to a close, I was un- 
commonly anxious to see this young man converted, 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 399 

but I was not permitted to see it. Some little time 
before we closed the meeting, a messenger arrived for 
me to go to another town where the work of religion 
had broken out, and they greatly needed ministerial 
aid. The day after I left this young man he was tak- 
en violently ill. His disease was rapid, all medical aid 
failed, and he was shortly given over by his physi- 
cians to die. He sent post-haste for me to come to 
him. I hastened to him, but never to the last mo- 
ment of my recollection shall I ever forget the bit- 
ter lamentations of this young man. " !" said he, 
"if I had taken your advice a few days ago, which 
you gave me in tears, and which, in spite of all my 
resistance, drew tears from my eyes, I should have 
now been ready to die. God's Spirit strove with me 
powerfully, but I was stubborn, and resisted it. If 
I had yielded then, I believe God would have saved 
me from my sins ; but now, racked with pain almost 
insupportable, and scorched with burning fevers, and 
on the very verge of an eternal world, I have no hope 
in the future ; all is dark, dark, and gloomy. Through 
light and mercy I have evaded and resisted God, his 
Spirit, and his ministers, and now I must make my 
bed in hell, and bid an eternal farewell to all the 
means of grace and all hope of heaven; lost! lost! 
forever lost!" 

In this condition he breathed his last. It was a 
solemn and awful scene; mournfully I turned away 
and wept bitterly. I never think of this scene but 
with mournful feelings. God forbid that I should die 
the death of such a one ! But how many are there 
that have lived and died like this pleasant young 
man; approve the right, but choose the wrong; put 
off the day of their return to God; wade through 
tears and prayers of ministers and pious friends ; till 



400 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

they make the dreadful plunge, and have to say, 
"Lost! lost! lost! forever lost !" 0, sinner, stop and 
think before you further go ! Turn, and turn now. 

I hastened to Winchester, where the brethren had 
rallied, and were engaged in a glorious revival of 
religion. They had sent oiF for brother Akers, who 
had been with them several days, battling successfully 
for the cause of true religion, and was made the hon- 
ored instrument of much good to many souls. I met 
brother Akers between Jacksonville and Winchester ; 
he was compelled to leave for his regular field of 
labor. When I met him he exclaimed, "One woe 
is past, and behold, another cometh!" The Camp- 
bellite preachers, and many of their members, had 
rushed into our meeting, and tried to hinder or stop 
the blessed work by drawing our people into foolish 
controversy. Brother Akers had used the artillery 
of truth very successfully against this false form of 
religion. To this he referred when I met him as he 
was leaving and I was hastening to the field of 
battle. 

When I got to the meeting I found a blessed work 
in prosperous progress. It really seemed to me that 
the Campbellites, and especially their preacher, were 
as restless as fallen demons. They tried to draw off 
our laboring members into vain and hurtful debates; 
and instead of encouraging mourners to seek on, they 
tried to confuse their minds, and throw doubts and 
difficulties in their way; and all round, and in the 
congregation, they were busy in this way, to confuse 
the minds of the people, and draw them ofi" from 
seeking God. At once I saw through their plan, and 
the bad eflfects of such a course, if permitted to be 
carried on. When at our first coming together after 
my arrival, I forbade all controversy of this kind, and 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 401 

told our brethren they must not indulge in it any 
more, and said to all that were opposed to the glori- 
ous work in progress, if they did not like it they must 
and should desist from entering into debates about it 
in the congregation, the most of the Campbellites 
desisted, or slyly opposed ; but their preacher contin- 
ued boldly to provoke debate. He rudely attacked, 
in the time of our altar exercises, one of our local 
preachers. 

When I was informed of it I went straight to him, 
and told him he must not do so. He said he was a 
free man, and would do as he pleased. "Now," said 
I, "Mr. S., if you do not desist, and behave yourself 
like a decent man ought to do, I will have you ar- 
rested as a disturber of our religious order." 

He said that all this work was wrong ; that it was 
undue excitement, and it was his duty to oppose it ; 
and he would like to attack it at headquarters, and 
just then and there to debate the question with me. 

"Now, sir," said I, "if you think to provoke me to 
condescend to turn aside from carrying on this glo- 
rious work to debate with you, the evil spirit that 
prompts you does but deceive you ; for it seems to me 
it would be like loading a fifty-six to kill a fly ; and 
if you do n't like the work and our meetings, go away 
and stay away ; your room will be better than your 
company." 

I , nonplused him considerably, and measurably 
silenced his batteries, but he was very restive. At 
length the power of God arrested some of the mem- 
bers of his Church. A very fine and meek woman 
in their Church, who had been baptized for the re- 
mission of sins, but never felt any evidence of her 
acceptance with God, and was not satisfied with her 
condition, became very much affected, and wept bit- 

34 



402 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

terlj on account of her unconverted state. I went to 
her, at the request of her husband, who, though not 
at that time a professor of religion, had been raised by 
Methodist parents, and was friendly. I asked her if 
she was happy. 

She said, "No, far from it." 

I asked her if she was willing to go and kneel at 
the altar, ask God to bless her, and give her a sensible 
evidence of the pardon of her sins. 

She said, "Yes." 

I started to lead her to the altar, when one of her 
Campbellite sisters took hold of her, and said, "What 
are you going to do ?" 

She said, "I am going to the altar, to pray for re- 
ligion." 

"0," said the other, "you have religion. You 
were baptized, and in that act of obedience your sins 
were all washed away; and you ought to be satisfied 
with your religion, and not disgrace your Church 
by going to a mourners' bench, among the deluded 
Methodists." 

She replied, "I know I was baptized for the re- 
mission of sins, and you all told me that in this act, 
of obedience to Christ I should be forgiven, and be 
made happy; but I know it is all deception, and 
false, for I know I have no religion ; and I am determ- 
ined to seek it with these Methodists, for if I die as I 
am I must be lost forever." 

"0," said the Campbellite lady, "you must not 
go." 

I then interposed, and said to the lady, "Let her 
go. She shall go to the altar if she wants to;" and I 
accordingly led her there. She dropped on her knees, 
and shortly afterward her husband kneeled at the 
same altar, with the great deep of his heart broken 



PETER CAllT WRIGHT. 403 

up ; and they never rested till they were both soundly 
converted to God, and were enabled to sing, 

"How happy are tbey, who their Savior obey," 

with a zest which they had never felt or enjoyed before. 

The work of God went on with great power, and 
the slain of the Lord were many. Presently, in going 
through the congregation to hunt up the wounded 
sinners and lead them to the altar, to my great aston- 
ishment and surprise I found my Campbellite lady, 
who tried to prevent the one I had led to the altar 
first, sitting down with her face in her hands, and her 
eyes suffused in tears. She was much agitated. I 
laid my hand on her shoulder, and said to her, " Sis- 
ter, what is the matter? Have these deluded Meth- 
odists got hold of you? or have you got a Methodist 
spasm?" 

She screamed right out, and said, " God be merci- 
ful to me, a poor, deluded, Campbellite sinner!" 

"0," said I, "will not water save you?" 

" 0, no, no," she responded; " I am a poor, deluded 
sinner, and have no religion, and if I die as I am 
must be lost, and lost forever. Will you pray for me ?" 

"Yes," said I ; "but now you must go to the Meth- 
odists' despised mourners' bench." 

" With all my heart," said she ; and I partly led 
and partly carried her there, and if I ever heard a 
poor sinner plead with God for mercy, she was one. 

When it was known that Mrs. , a Campbellite, 

was at the mourners' bench, it awfully shocked some 
of her fellow-members in that watery regiment. She 
was in such an agony and such good earnest, I almost 
knew it would not be long till she found the blessing, 
and while I was leading some other convicted per- 
sons to the altar, the Lord powerfully converted this 



404 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Campbellite heroine. She sprang to her feet, and 
shouted over the house like a top, and she fell direct- 
ly to pulling and hauling her Campbellite friends to 
the Methodist altar, exhorting them to come and get 
religion, and not for a moment longer to depend on 
water for salvation, but come and try the Methodist 
fire, or the fire of the Holy Ghost, and the way she 
piled up the Campbellite friends at the altar was sub- 
limely awful. After she had got a great number 
there, she took after her preacher, and exhorted him 
to come and get religion, "for," said she, "I know 
you have none," but he resisted and fled. Several 
of his members' children had obtained religion, and 
several more were seeking it. He then started a 
meeting in his own church to draw off his members 
and others from the Methodist meeting, and if ever 
you saw a water divinity grow sick and pale, it was 
just about this time. Things were so cold at his 
church that the little effort soon failed. There were 
over one hundred and twenty professed religion and 
joined the Methodist Church during this meeting, 
and, according to my best recollection, thirteen of 
them were Campbellites. 

And now let me say, my little experience and ob- 
servation for many years goes to establish the follow- 
ing fact: Whenever and wherever the ministry and 
membership of the Church live faithful, and keep 
alive to God, and enjoy the life and power of religion, 
they can bid an eternal defiance to all opposition, 
schism, divisions, ceremonial diversities, and all the 
false prophets that may arise can never stop, to any 
great extent, the heavenly march and triumphs of 
true religion ; but when we have a formal, negligent 
ministry, that wish to substitute education for the 
power of faith, and our members begin to ape the 



PETEE CARTWRIGHT. 405 

world, or even other proud and fashionable Churches, 
you may depend upon it that, like Samson with his 
eyes put out, we shall make sport for the Philistines. 
For however education may be desirable, and how- 
ever much the progress of this age may demand an 
improved ministry, especially an improved pulpit 
eloquence, I would rather have the gift of a devil-dis- 
lodging power than all the college lore or Biblical 
institute knowledge that can be obtained from mortal 
man. When God wants great and learned men in 
the ministry, how easy it is for him to overtake a 
learned sinner, and, as Saul of Tarsus, shake him 
awhile over hell, then knock the scales from his eyes, 
and, without any previous theological training, send 
him out straightway to preach Jesus and the resurrec- 
tion ! When God calls any man to preach his Gospel, 
if he will not reason with flesh and blood, but do his 
duty and live faithful, my experience for it, God 
will qualify him for the work if he never saw a 
college. 

Perhaps I may say a few things right here that 
may be of some little benefit to my brethren in the 
ministry. You know these are the days of sore 
throats and bronchial affections among preachers. 
Some have laid the predisposing cause to coffee, and 
some to tobacco; some to one thing, and some to an- 
other. Now, without professing to have studied 
physiology, or to be skilled in the science of medi- 
cine, I beg leave, with very humble pretensions, to 
give it as my opinion that most cases of these diseases 
are brought on by carelessness and inattention of 
public speakers themselves. I had, for several years 
previous to this great revival of which we have been 
speaking, been greatly afflicted with the bronchial 
affection ; so much so that I really thought the days 



406 AUTOBIOGKAPHY OP 

of my public ministry were well-nigh over. This 
revival lasted near five months, through a hard and 
cold winter. I preached, exhorted, sung, prayed, 
and labored at the altar, I need not say several times 
a day or night, but almost day and night for months 
together. With many fears I entered on this work, 
but from the beginning I threw myself under restraint, 
took time to respire freely between sentences, com- 
manded the modulation and cadence of my voice, 
avoided singing to fatigue, avoided sudden transitions 
from heat to cold, and when I left the atmosphere of 
the church, heated by the stoves and breath of the 
crowd, guarded my breast and throat, and even 
mouth, from a sudden and direct contact with the 
chilling air, or air of any kind, got to my room as 
quick as possible, slept in no cold rooms if I could 
help it, bathed my throat and breast every morning 
with fresh, cold waiter from the well or spring, wore 
no tight stocks or cravats, breathed freely, and, strange 
to tell, I came out of the five months' campaign of a 
revival much sounder than when I entered it. The 
only medicine I used at all was a little cayenne pep- 
per and table salt dissolved in cold vinegar, and this 
just as I was leaving a warm atmosphere to go into 
the cold air or wind; and although several years 
have passed since, I have been very little troubled 
with that disease, and can preach as long and as loud 
as is necessary for any minister to be useful. Keep 
your feet warm, your head cool, and your bowels 
well regulated, rise early, go to bed regularly, eat 
temperately, avoiding high-seasoned victuals, pickles, 
and preserves, drink no spirits of any kind, and there 
will be no need of your ever breaking down till the 
wheels of life stop, and life itself sweetly ebbs away. 
Our conference this year 1843, was held in Quincy, 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 407 

Adams county, Illinois, September 13tli. Bishop An- 
drew presided. This was the only annual confer- 
ence that Bishop Andrew ever presided in with us. 
The Illinois conference was now large, and there were 
some men of fine talents among us. Bishop Andrew 
presided with great acceptability, and had, among our 
preachers, many fast friends. At this conference 
we elected our delegates to the ninth delegated Gen- 
eral conference, that was to sit in New York, May 
1, 1844. P. Akers, J. Yancleve, J. Stamper, N. G. 
Berryman, and myself were elected, which made the 
eighth General conference that the brethren saw 
proper to send me to, to represent their interests and 
the interests of the Church generally. Up to this 
General conference there were thirty-three annual 
conferences, besides Liberia. Seventeen in the old 
eastern boundary, and sixteen in the western division. 
The seventeen eastern conferences had a membership 
of 599,322; of traveling preachers, 2,400, The 
sixteen conferences in the western division had of 
members, 550,462 ; of traveling preachers, 1,862. 
Total membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
1,172,356 ; total traveling preachers, 4,282 ; total in- 
crease in members in four years, 276,287 ; of travel- 
ing preachers in four years, 774. 

It will be seen from the foregoing statistics, imper- 
fect as they are, that the Methodist Episcopal Church 
as one branch of the great Protestant family, pros- 
pered in these United States without a parallel in the 
history of the Church of Jesus Christ, since the apos- 
tolic age. Only think of it; in despite of all the imper- 
fections that attach to human institutions, the apostasy 
of some of our ministers — and it is a mercy of God 
there were not more — the backsliding of many of our 
members, the schisms created by O'Kelly, Hammett, 



408 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Stillwell, and tlie self-styled Protestant Methodists, the 
True Wesleyans — hush ! 0, mercy, save the mark ! — 
in about sixty years, more than a million of members 
had been raised up and united in Church fellowship 
in the Methodist Episcopal Church; and this, too, by 
a body of uneducated ministers. Perhaps, among 
the thousands of traveling and local preachers em- 
ployed and engaged in this glorious work of saving 
souls, and building up the Methodist Church, there 
were not fifty men that had any thing more than a 
common English education, and scores of them not 
that; and not one of them was ever trained in a theo- 
logical school or Biblical institute, and yet hundreds 
of them preached the Gospel with more success and 
had more seals to their ministry than all the sapient, 
downy D. D.'s in modern times, who, instead of 
entering the great and wide-spread harvest-field of 
souls, sickle in hand, are seeking presidencies or pro- 
fessorships in colleges, editorships, or any agencies 
that have a fat salary, and are trying to create new- 
fangled institutions where good livings can be monop- 
olized, while millions of poor, dying sinners are 
thronging the Avay to hell without God, without Gos- 
pel ; and the Church putting up the piteous wail about 
the scarcity of preachers. And now, in the even- 
ing of life, at the dreadful risk — dreadful to some, not 
to me — of being called an old fogy^ and pronounced 
fifty years behind the times, I enter my most solemn 
protest against the tendencies of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church to Congregationalism, for it seems to 
me wrong that the ministers of God, divinely called 
to the holy work of saving souls, should leave that 
sacred w^ork, and go and serve tables ; wherefore, let 
the Church look out competent and well-qualified 
lay teachers and officers for our literary institutions, 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 409 

who can build them up just as well as preachers, and 
make "a scourge of small cords," and drive these 
buyers and sellers out of the temples of learning, editor- 
ships, and agencies, into the glorious harvest-field of 
souls. No man, or set of men, in the same sacred 
sense, is called of God to these institutions and offices, 
as they are called of God — if called at all — to preach 
the everlasting Gospel to dying sinners that are so 
fearfully thronging the way to hell. Christ had no 
literary college or university, no theological school 
or Biblical institute, nor did he require his first min- 
isters to memorize his sayings or sermons, but simply 
to tarry at Jerusalem till they were endued with 
power from on high, when, under the baptismal pow- 
er of the Holy Ghost, should be brought to their 
remembrance all things whatsoever he had com- 
manded them. 

I will not condescend to stop and say that I am a 
friend to learning, and an improved ministry, for it is 
the most convenient way to get rid of a stubborn 
truth, for these learned and gentlemanly ministers 
to turn about and say that all those ministers that are 
opposed to the present abuses of our high calling, are 
advocates for ignorance, and that ignorance is the 
mother of devotion. What has a learned ministry 
done for the world, that have studied divinity as a 
science? Look, and examine ministerial history. It 
is an easy thing to engender pride in the human heart, 
and this educational pride has been the downfall and 
ruin of many pre-eminently educated ministers of the 
Gospel. But I will not render evil for evil, or railing 
for railing, but will thank God for education, and 
educated Gospel ministers who are of the right stamp, 
and of the right spirit. But how do these advocates 
for an educated ministry think the hundreds of com- 

eS5 



410 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

monly-educated preachers must feel under the lectures 
•we have from time to time on this subject? It is true 
many of these advocates for an improved and educa- 
ted ministry among us, speak in rapturous and exalt- 
ed strains concerning the old, illiterate pioneers that 
planted Methodism and Churches in early and frontier 
times; but I take no flattering unction to my soul 
from these extorted concessions from these velvet- 
mouthed and downy D. D.'s ; for their real sentiments, 
if they clearly express them, are, that we were in- 
debted to the ignorance of the people for our success. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 411 



CHAPTER XXYII. 

THE GREAT SECESSION. 

At the General conference of 1844 a solemn dis- 
pensation came upon the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
then having more than a million of members in her 
communion. Up to this time no very destructive 
divisions had taken place among us. The small parties 
that had filed off, had rather been a help than a 
serious injury to the Church. No division in doc- 
trines had ever taken place, and, as a large body of 
ministers and members, there was great unanimity 
on the Discipline of the Church; and now the division 
was narrowed down to a single point, namely, slavery 
in the episcopacy. It is well understood by those 
who have studied the government of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, that she has adopted an itinerant 
or traveling plan of ministerial operation, as the best 
and most Scriptural mode of successfully spreading 
the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and although we believe 
there are but two ministerial orders, namely, deacons 
and elders, and finding nothing in the Scriptures 
contrary thereto, the Methodist Episcopal Church in 
her early organization saw proper to create a separate 
ofiice, not order, of superintendent, or bishop. By the 
consent of all our traveling preachers, the bishop ap- 
points from year to year every traveling preacher to 
his field of labor; this saves a vast amount of time 
and trouble in the ministry, in running about and 
seeking to contract with congregations for a specified 



412 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

time and stipulated amount of salary; moreover, it 
cuts off the temptation of selling the Gospel to the 
highest bidder, and giving the Gospel exclusively to the 
rich, and leaving the poor to perish without the means 
of salvation ; and the poor under this arrangement find 
the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus Christ, more 
fully than they can on any other plan, namely, 
"Blessed are the poor, for they have the Gospel 
preached unto them." Moreover, it is the disciplinary 
duty of our bishops to ordain our deacons and 
elders, and to travel at large throughout all our 
conferences, and to have a general supervision of the 
whole work; and in order to qualify them to act 
wisely and prudently in changing and appointing 
the thousands of itinerant preachers to their respect- 
ive fields of labor, it is required of our bishops to be 
constant itinerants themselves ; and according to the 
provisions of the Discipline of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, if our bishops at any time cease to travel 
at large throughout the connection, supervising and 
superintending the general interests of the whole 
Church, they shall forfeit the right to exercise the 
duties of their office. 

And right here it may not be amiss to notice, in a 
few w^ords, the supremely-ridiculous and slanderous 
statements that are constantly emanating from the 
pulpits and presses of some of the prejudiced denomi- 
nations, against the absolute and despotic power of our 
bishops. They state that our bishops give all the law 
of the Church, and that our preachers and people are 
bound to bow to their dictum, under pain of expul- 
sion ; and that all the Church property is deeded to 
the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Now, 
so far from this charge being true, I assert, without 
any fear of successful contradiction, that a Methodist 



PETER CART WRIGHT 413 

bishop lias not even a vote in any of the rules or 
regulations of the Church, nor even a veto power on 
any rule passed by the General conference ; and as 
for the charge of the bishops having all the property 
of the Church deeded to them, this old, stale falsehood 
has not now, nor ever had, the least foundation in 
truth to rest upon; for I will venture to say that if 
the whole United States and territories w^ere examined 
with a search warrant by the entire marshaled hosts 
of the bigoted and malicious propagators of these 
falsehoods, that not one solitary case can be found 
where the Church property is deeded to the bishops 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Why do our 
opponents so constantly and so recklessly persist in 
reiterating these false charges? Have they no sense 
of honor or of shame left them? But none are so 
blind as those that will not see; and I solemnly fear 
that those wretched editors and pamphlet writers will 
have a very fearful account to render in the day of 
retributive justice. But they can not meet us in the 
open field of manly and honorable debate, and there- 
fore they resort to the pitiful fabrication of false 
statements in hope of gulling the ignorant part of 
mankind. 

We have said, up to this time, 1844, no very seri- 
ous division had taken place in the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. It is true, there were a few restless 
spirits, ministers, that had filed off and raised little 
trash-traps called Churches, such as O'Kelly, Still- 
well, Hammett, the Radicals, or self-styled Protestant 
Methodist Church, and the Scottites, or, as they call 
themselves, the True Wesleyans. But in all these 
secessions, there never had been a difference of opinion 
on the cardinal doctrines of the Gospel propagated 
by Mr. Wesley, and unanswerably defended by the 



414 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OP 

sainted Fletcher. So may it continue to the end of 
time ! 

The Methodist Episcopal Church, from its first or- 
ganization, was opposed to slavery; and from 1784 to 
1824, in her various rules and regulations on slavery, 
tried to legislate it out of the Church ; and she suc- 
ceeded in getting many of the slaves set free, and 
bettering the condition of thousands of this degraded 
race. But the legislatures of the different slave states 
greatly embarrassed the operations of the Church by 
narroTv'ing the door of emancipation, and passing un- 
just and stringent laws to prevent manumission. At 
this course of legislation, many of the citizens of the 
free states took umbrage, and commenced a dreadful 
tirade of abuse on the South, and threw the subject 
into the arena of politics. This unholy warfare of 
crimination and recrimination has been carried on 
with unjustifiable violence, till we are almost brought 
to a civil w^ar, and ihe integrity of our happy Union is 
in imminent danger. How it will end God only knows. 

On the first of May, 1844, our General conference 
met in New York. From 1824 to this time, our rules 
on slavery had remained the same. The northern 
preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, some 
of them, had taken the ultra ground that slavehold- 
ing, under all circumstances, was sinful, and therefore, 
law or no law, practicable or impracticable, all slave- 
holders, under all circumstances, should be expelled. 
However, the more prudent and far-seeing part of our 
ministers and members of the Church saw that this' 
was totally wrong, and threw themselves into the 
breach, and prevented a fearful division of the Church ; 
and the fog and smoke of run-mad clerical abolition- 
ism ended in a feeble secession under 0. Scott & Co., 
and a few of the same cloth and kidney. 



PETER CAUT WRIGHT. 415 

In the mean time slavery in tlie south had been 
rapidly gaining strength, by stringent legislative acts 
and ministerial advocacy. More and more did the 
legislatures of the south block up the way to practi- 
cable emancipation. This threw the north into a 
fearful rage; hence there was a mutual crimination 
and recrimination, and both ultra parties threw the 
subject into the political arena, and appealed to Caesar 
instead of going to God in humble prayer, and asking 
Divine direction on this fearful question. There had 
at no time been a slaveholding preacher elected 
to the office of bishop in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, nor was there ever a time within my remem- 
brance when a slaveholder, as such, could have been 
elected bishop without giving strong assurances that 
he would emancipate his slaves ; for the plain reason, 
to say nothing about the evil of slavery, he never 
could travel at large through the connection, as the 
Discipline required, acceptably, as a slaveholder. 
There were many eminent and distinguished minis- 
ters in the southern conferences, some of whom 
would, no doubt, have been elected to the office of 
bishop but for their being slaveholders. Bishop An- 
drew had been elected to that office in 1832, by the 
General conference, but it was because we verily 
believed him free from the evil of slavery ; and but 
for the same cause of slavery, I have no doubt others 
of our Southern ministers would have been elected to 
that office. When we met in General conference in 
New York, Bishop Andrew, by marriage and other- 
wise, had become connected with slavery. This fact 
came upon us with the darkness and terror of a fear- 
ful storm, and covered the whole General conference 
with sorrow and mourning. Those of us who believed 
slavery an evil, though not sinful in all cases, saw at 



416 AUTOBIOGEAPIIY OP 

once that it was utterly impossible for Bishop Andrew 
to travel at large through the Methodist connection, 
and discharge the important duties of that office with 
acceptability and usefulness, unless he would give the 
General conference assurances that he would, as soon 
as practicable, free himself from this impediment. 
But this he absolutely refused to do. Our Southern 
brethren took the strong ground that slavery was no 
impediment to the official relation of a bishop of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. 

The true course that the General conference ought 
to have pursued toward Bishop Andrew, was to have 
arraigned him for improper conduct, as the Discipline 
provides for the trial of a bishop, and suspended him 
from all official acts; and then, if they of the south 
were disposed to secede, let them secede and set up 
for themselves. Then all the humbuggery about a 
division line, and of the Church property, would have 
been saved. And if the division or secession of the 
Church had been left to the vote of our Southern 
brethren, it would have been a poor little thing; and 
I think that every unprejudiced mind must see clearly 
that the secession from our beloved Church was 
brought about by a set of slaveholding Methodist 
preachers, and not by slaveholding members, led on 
by a slaveholding bishop ; and every one acquainted 
with the circumstances of this dreadful rupture in the 
Church, and with the actions and course of Bishop 
Soule, will see that he was the leading spirit in the 
whole affair. 

However I may forgive, I shall never forget the un- 
justifiable course that Bishop Soule took in dividing 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

To talk about the General conference having power 
to divide the Church and to form a division line, that 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 417 

tlie ministers from either side should not cross to bear 
the tidings of salvation to their dying fellow-men, is 
certainly the climax of absurdity; and then to force 
the members on either side of this line, north or south, 
to hold their membership in a division that was not 
of their choice, is despotism in the superlative degree. 
Could the Pope of Rome more completely demand 
passive obedience and non-resistance than did the Gen- 
eral conference of 1844 in this monstrous act? And 
yet the very ministers composing the General confer- 
ence who, in conjunction with their fellow-laborers in 
the ministry, had praised the Methodist Episcopal 
Church as the best Church in the world, and had 
taken an active part in taking into said Church the 
hundreds of thousands that composed her member- 
ship, assumed to themselves the power to divide said 
Church, and draw a line, and say to preachers and 
members, *' Thus far shalt thou come, and no further." 

I sincerely thank God, upon every remembrance of 
the acts or doings of the General conference of 1844 
on this matter, that my little abilities were put forth 
to prevent this catastrophe, though I was found greatly 
in the minority. Yet, I am glad to say, it was an 
honorable minority, which, by the whining sycophancy 
of the south, and uncalled-for sympathy of the north, 
were overwhelmed by the vote of the majority. 

I say here again, as I have elsewhere said in this 
narrative, that the General conference of 1844, and 
all the General conferences that ever existed, had no 
more power to divide the Church than I, as an indi- 
vidual, had; and it is my deliberate opinion that the 
members of the General conference who concocted 
and completed this measure of so-called division of 
the Church, ought to refund the whole amount of 
money gained by the south in the Church suits, and 



418 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

let the poor, superannuated preachers, their wives 
and children, and the widows and orphans of our 
ministers that have been left nearly destitute of the 
means of living since the death of their faithful hus- 
bands and fathers, have it as a fund for their support. 
It is as clear to me as a sunbeam that the General 
conference had no constitutional right to form this 
sham line of division that they did, and thereby force 
thousands of our pious and devoted members south 
of that line to take their membership in an openly- 
avowed slaveholding Church, or remain forever with- 
out Church privileges; and when the piteous wail- 
ings of these forsaken members, thus cut off from 
the Church of their early and only choice, came up 
for four years, is it any wonder that the General con- 
ference of 1848, that sat in Pittsburg, should vir- 
tually declare the action of the General conference 
of 1844 unconstitutional, and declare that line null 
and void, to all intents and purposes, and once more 
authorize our preachers to go, without limitation or 
restriction, ^' into all the world and preach the Gospel 
to every creature." Now, although this is not to be 
wondered at, when we consider the sympathetic, re- 
ligious appeals made to that body from our lost mem- 
bers in the dreadful wilderness of slave territory, still 
there is a wonderful and marvelous thing that con- 
founds all my sense of justice, truth, and righteousness, 
still existing in the Methodist Episcopal Church; that 
is, that there are to be found members, preachers, and 
editors of our Church papers, that, with run-mad 
violence, oppose the reorganization of conferences in 
slave territory, and are unwilling to send or support 
our preachers that are sent to preach the Gospel of 
the Son of God to these misguided and blind slave- 
holders, or to the poor, degraded, ignorant thousands 



PETER CART Y/ RIGHT. 419 

of slaves that have souls to be saved or lost forever. 
I am fully aware that here I tread controverted, 
enchanted, and disputed ground; but, perhaps, as 
this may be the last opportunity that I may have this 
side the grave to be heard on this subject, I beseech 
my readers, whether they agree or disagree with me 
in my sentiments on this vexed question of slavery, 
to hear me for a few moments without "malice pre- 
pense" or aforethought, as to the history of the rup- 
ture in the Methodist Episcopal Church, at the General 
conference of 1844. I beg leave to refer all con- 
cerned in this matter to the most excellent History 
of the Great Secession, published by Dr. C. Elliott; a 
book which, large as it is, ought to have a place in 
every library of the Methodist Episcopal Church. If 
they will get this book, and turn to chapters xx, xxi, 
pages 286-318, they will find all the facts concerning 
the acts and doings of the General conference of 1844, 
detailed with an impartial and truthful particularity 
worthy of all commendation; and, indeed, the book 
throughout is a valuable work, and should be in the 
hands of every preacher in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. 

I wish to say here, I was born and raised in a slave 
state, or states, and for m.ore than sixty years have 
been acquainted with the sentiments of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, preachers and members, on the 
subject of slavery. I have seen thousands of poor 
slaves converted to God; I have, I verily believe, 
also seen thousands of slaveholders soundly converted 
to God, whose fruit in after life gave ample evidence 
of the genuineness of their religion; and since I 
have had a mature judgment on the subject of slav- 
ery, I have steadfastly believed it a great evil; and 
without boasting I will say, I have been the agent 



420 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

or instrument of freeing scores of the poor slaves, and 
not only of their emancipation, but also of the coloniza- 
tion of many of them, returning them to their own coun- 
try free and happy. But this all took place before 
the legislatures of the slave states blocked up the way, 
by stringent laws, to practicable emancipation. These 
stringent laws of the legislatures of slave states were 
passed chiefly from two causes : first, their inherent 
love of oppression; and, second, from the extreme and 
violent manner of intermeddling with the legal rights 
of the slaveholders in the south by the rabid abolition- 
ists of the north. And now, I would soberly ask, What 
has all this violent hue and cry of prescriptive aboli- 
tionism done for the emancipation of the poor de- 
graded slaves? Just nothing at all; nay, infinitely 
w^orse than nothing. It has riveted the chains of 
slavery tighter than ever before; it has blocked up 
the way to reasonable and practicable emancipation; 
it has engendered prejudice; it has thrown firebrands 
into legislative halls, both of the state and general gov- 
ernments ; millions are expended every year in angry 
debates; laws for the good of the people are neglect- 
ed; time, talents, and money thrown away; preju- 
dice, strife, and WTath, and every evil passion stirred 
up till the integrity of the union of our happy coun- 
try is in imminent danger; and what has it all 
amounted to ? Not one poor slave set free ; not one 
dollar expended to colonize them and send them 
home happy and free; and such is the unchristian, 
excited prejudice, that mobs are fast becoming the 
order of the day. Presses demolished; preachers of 
the Gospel, hailing from free states, are hunted down 
by blood-hounds in human shape; they are tarred 
and feathered, and threatened with the rope if they 
do not leave in a few hours ; and such is the prejudice 



PETER CART WRIGHT 421 

produced hj the angry and unchristian fulminating 
thunders of this one-eyed and one-idead, run-mad pro- 
cedure, that the Gospel is well-nigh totally denied in 
slave states to both owners and slaves in many 
places. 

But I think I hear you say, let slaveholding preach- 
ers preach to these slaves and slaveholders. But if 
slavery is a sin in all circumstances, how can slave- 
holding preachers successfully preach the Gospel to 
these poor sinners ? Well, say you, let the devil take 
them all. no, God forbid ! there surely must be a 
better way; these poor slaves surely are not to blame 
for their condition. Are there no bowels of mercy to 
yearn over them ? Many of these slaveholders, from 
circumstances beyond their control, are not radically 
slaveholding sinners; above all men that dwell in 
the south, they are entitled to our pity and commis- 
eration, and we should surely carry the Gospel to 
them, and our skirts will not be clear of their blood 
if we do not. 

Do we reclaim drunkards by telling them that they 
steal their rum, and lie in the meanest way of all 
men to get their intoxicating beverages? JSTo, verily; 
we pity them, reason with them, and knowing the 
terrors of the Lord, we persuade men; and when all 
moral suasion fails, do we say drunkenness is the 
open door to all sins, and therefore it is the sum of 
all villainies, and that they can not be made Chris- 
tians? No. When all moral suasion fails we try by 
legal enactments to put the temptation out of their 
way, and urge them to become Christians. Do we 
induce sinners to reform, repent, and be converted, 
by abusing them, and telling them of all their dirty 
deeds, and saying it is impossible for persons guilty 
of such dirty crimes to become Christians? No, we 



422 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OP 

warn them, in a Christian spirit and temper, to flee 
the wrath to come ; we assure them that the happy 
gates of Gospel grace stand open night and day, and 
that Christ will turn none away empty that will come 
unto him ; for whosoever shall call on the name of the 
Lord shall be saved. And we urge them to seek the 
Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while 
he is near. 

I blame no man for believing that slavery is wrong 
and a great evil, and every reasonable man must 
deprecate its existence; and I know that there are 
thousands of our southern slaveholding citizens that 
not only believe, but know from daily experience, that 
it is a great evil, and would willingly make any rea- 
sonable sacrifice to rid themselves and their happy 
country of it. And I believe, from more than twenty 
years' experience as a traveling preacher in slave 
states, that the most successful way to ameliorate the 
condition of the slaves, and Christianize them, and 
finally secure their freedom, is to treat their owners 
kindly, and not to meddle politically with slavery. 
Let their owners see and know that your whole mis- 
sion is the salvation of the slaves as well as their 
owners, and that you have not established any under- 
ground railroad, and that it is not your mission to ab- 
jduct their slaves. In this way more is to be done for 
the final extirpation of American slavery than all 
others put together, for these ultraists breathe nothing 
but death and slaughter. 

I will further state that it is my firm conviction 
that every Methodist preacher sent as a missionary 
herald to labor in slave territory, ought to be instruct- 
ed by the ruling authorities of the Church not to med- 
dle with slavery, but to attend strictly to his spiritual 
mission. This is the way the Wesleyan mission com- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 423 

"mittee instructed their missionaries sent to labor in the 
West Indies, where slavery abounded in its worst 
forms ; and if those missionaries w^ere known to dis- 
obey those instructions, they were immediately re- 
called ; and although these missionaries were tied up 
to the one grand object of Christianizing the people, 
yet finally the Gospel leaven so mightily worked, 
that slavery was abolished, and universal freedom 
triumphed and prevailed. Let us hope that this will 
be the case with American slavery; and after having 
expended all our wrath without availing any thing 
worth talking about, let us now henceforth use Chris- 
tian weapons, and Christian weapons alone, and the 
mighty monster will fall. 

I do solemnly declare, that no circumstance ever 
occurred concerning the welfare of the Church, which 
afflicted me so sorely as the transactions of the General 
conference of 1844. It seemed to me that I could 
not survive under the painful fact that the Methodist 
Church must be divided, and all the time of the pro- 
tracted debates I knew, if the southern preachers fail- 
ed to carry the point they had fixed, namely, the tol- 
erance of slaveholding in the Episcopacy, that they 
would fly the track, and set up for themselves. And 
in that event, many souls would be injured, and per- 
haps turn back to perdition ; and that war and strife 
would prevail among brethren that once were united 
as a brotherly band, and that they must of neces- 
sity become a slavery Church. And I the more 
deeply regretted it because any abomination sanctified 
by the priesthood, would take a firmer hold on the 
community, and that this very circumstance would 
the longer perpetuate the evil of slavery, and perhaps 
would be the entering wedge to the dissolution of our 
glorious Union ; and perhaps the downfall of this great 



424 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

republic. And though I stood alone among the dele- 
gates, my colleagues, of my own beloved Illinois con- 
ference, in my vote against all these revolutionary 
and divisive measures in the General conference, it 
afforded me great pleasure to learn that my course in 
the General conference was approved by an over- 
whelming majority of the preachers and members of 
our conference. And it still affords me unspeakable 
pleasure to know that I shall not have to answer be- 
fore my final Judge for the sin of dividing the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church, a Church that, under God, I am 
indebted to for all I have and am ; a Church that I 
have spent a long life in trying to build up, and for 
the prosperity of which I have made sacrifices, and in 
the communion of which I have enjoyed so many 
unspeakable privileges, and all the comfort and pleas- 
ure, worth calling so, in this life. 

This Church I love, and want no other on earth, 
and in her fellowship I hope to live and die, and with 
her members, and all other fellow- Christians, I hope 
to spend a blissful eternity in adoring God the Father, 
God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, in the enjoy- 
ment of redeeming grace and dying love. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 425 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

RESTRICTIVE RULE AND SLAVERY. 

In the fall of 1844 our conference was held in 
the town of E"ashville, Washington county, Il- 
linois. Here the concurrence of the conference was 
asked in the measures of the General conference. 
Brother Stamper and brother Berryman, who had 
voted with the South, took their stand for concur- 
rence, and I took my stand for non-concurrence ; and 
after we had debated the subject fully, the vote was 
taken, and there w^as a handsome majority in favor of 
non-concurrence. So the measure failed in our con- 
ference, and it failed throughout all the annual 
conferences of obtaining a three-fourths vote for con- 
currence ; and the Restrictive Rule remained as it was, 
the recommendation of the General conference to the 
contrary notwithstanding. 

Now, the plain state of fact was this: The main 
body of the members of the General conference 
knew, and many of them openly said, on the Gen- 
eral conference floor, both northern and southern 
members, that the General conference had no power 
either to divide the Church, or the property or avails 
of the Book Concern, or the Chartered Fund, and the 
act of the General conference to divide the property 
or funds of the Methodist Episcopal Church was only 
passed provisionally. They knew it was unconstitu- 
tional, and their design was to change the Restrictive 
Rule, or constitutional clause of the Discipline, so as 

36 



426 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

to allow this division of the property, and proceeds of 
the Book Concern, and Chartered Fund of the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church. But how was this change to be 
brought about in a constitutional way? Answer. See 
Discipline, Part 1, Chap, ii, Sec. ii, Aris. 6, thus : '' They 
[the General conference] shall not appropriate the 
produce of the Book Concern, nor of the Charter 
Fund, to any purpose other than for the benefit of the 
traveling, supernumerary, superannuated, and worn- 
out preachers, their wives, widows, and children. Pro- 
vided, nevertheless, that upon the concurrent recom- 
mendation of three-fourths of the members of the 
several annual conferences, who shall be present 
and vote on such recommendation, then a majority 
of two-thirds of the General conference succeeding 
shall suffice to alter any of the above restrictions, 
excepting the first article : and also, whenever such 
alteration or alterations shall have been first recom- 
mended by two-thirds of the General conference, so 
soon as three-fourths of the members of all the an- 
nual conferences shall have concurred as aforesaid, 
such alteration or alterations shall take effect." 

The General conference of 1844 recommended an 
alteration in this sixth Restrictive Rule of the constitu- 
tion of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and sent 
round to all the annual conferences for a three- 
fourths vote of concurrence. Now, notwithstanding 
this was the favorite measure of the South, and not- 
withstanding every member of all the seceding slave- 
holding conferences, save a solitary one, voted a con- 
currence with this unreasonable recommendation, yet 
when the votes of all the annual conferences were 
counted, they fell far short of a three-fourths vote of 
concurrence. 

Does it not, therefore, shock all the honorable, high- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 427 

mindecl feelings of mankind, to know that the public 
functionaries of justice could be so corrupt as to de- 
cide against the Methodist Episcopal Church in those 
Church suits in favor of the Southern seceders, the 
self-styled and self-constituted Methodist Episcopal 
Church South? I hope I may be indulged in a few 
remarks on this vexed question of slavery. I hold 
myself to be an unflinching conservative Methodist 
preacher. I know that slavery is an evil, and a great 
evil, and although the South denies this ground, and 
their interested cry is abolition! abolition! that is, 
with many of them, this cry has never moved me one 
inch. I can only pray, "Lord, forgive them; they 
know not what they do." 

Nine-tenths of them, members and preachers, came 
into the Methodist Episcopal Church with their eyes 
open with our General Rules, and other rules, all open 
before them; if they did not like them, they should 
not have joined the Church. If they joined not know- 
ing the rules, when they came to the knowledge of 
them, and then thought them radically wrong, they 
should have peaceably retired, or withdrawn, and not 
have rended the Church, and thrown her into violent 
commotions; and turn round and abuse the Church 
that, under God, was the means of their salvation. 
They always had tangible evidence that the Methodist 
Episcopal Church would never tolerate slavery in 
one of her bishops, and they had no just right to 
complain when the General conference arrested 
Bishop Andrew, and gave as the sense of that re- 
spectable body, that he should desist from the exer- 
cise of his episcopal functions, till he rid himself of 
that impediment. As a prudent Christian bishop, he 
should have done this of his own accord. 

On the other hand, the ultra abolitionists of the 



428 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

north, or any where else, have no right to complain 
of me and others, and deny us the dignified privilege 
of being conservatives, and hurl their anathemas 
against us, and bring a railing accusation against us 
of ''pro-slavery, pro-slavery!" And, indeed, they 
treat us with less decent respect than God permitted 
Michael the archangel to treat the devil, for he did 
not allow Michael to bring a railing accusation against 
his Satanic majesty; but permitted him only to say, 
" The Lord 7rbuJce thee.'' Mr. Wesley never made slave- 
holding a test of membership; and when, in 1784, the 
Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, slavery 
was not made a test of membership; it never has 
been a test of membership, from the apostolic day 
down to the present. I ask, then, what right have 
these Babel builders to introduce a new test of mem- 
bership in the Methodist Episcopal Church? They, 
like the South, joined the Methodist Church under 
her present rules on slavery, and did it with their 
eyes open. Why did they join her? And, if they 
were ignorant of our rules on slavery when they 
joined, after they informed themselves, and did not, 
and could not become reconciled to those rules or 
the Church, why did they not peaceably withdraw or 
leave, and not keep the Church in an eternal agita- 
tion and confusion? thereby prejudicing the slave- 
holders in the south, cutting off our access to them 
and their slaves, rending the Church, embroiling the 
whole nation, which threatens a rupture of our na- 
tional Union, and the destructive ravages of civil war. 
Before, and at the time of the southern secession, 
there were three of our Church papers, with three 
Methodist preachers as editors of those papers, in the 
south paid for their services out of the funds of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. They were elected and 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 429 

paid to spread religious knowledge, and defend the 
doctrines and usages of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church; but how did they act, and discharge the 
highly-responsible duties of their office ? It is true, 
they wrote many good things; but it is also true, 
that they put into requisition all their tact and talent 
to abuse the Church which was giving them their 
bread, denouncing her as an ultra abolition Church. 
Now, was this the course that honorable, high-minded 
Christian ministers should have taken? Surely not. 
Well, since this glorious inconsistency attached to the 
South, we have elected editors in the north and 
north-west, under precisely the same circumstances 
as the Southern editors who have lived on the pap of 
the Church; and they have opened their batteries, de- 
nouncing her as a pro-slavery Church. " Consist- 
ency, thou art a jewel !" If these editors were con- 
science stricken on these subjects, why did they not 
resign their editorial offices, and set up independent 
sheets, and vent their spleen against the Methodist 
Episcopal Church on their own responsibility, and 
support themselves? 

The middle ground between these ultra extremes 
is what I call conservative ground ; that is, we say, in 
the language of our most excellent Discipline, that 
slavery is a great evil ; and the grand question is, 
What shall be done for its extirpation ? Now, I sup- 
pose it will be admitted on all hands, that to do as the 
Southern preachers have done, that is, to plead that 
it is right, and justify it by the word of God, is not, 
and can not be the way to extirpate this evil. 

On the other hand, if we inquire, what has ultra 
abolition done to extirpate this great evil, what must 
be the truthful answer? It is simply this: With the 
exception of a few negroes that they have abducted, 



430 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

enticed to run away, or have been transported on 
their underground railroads to Canada, to starve, and 
to be degraded worse than with their lawful owners ; 
and the very few runaway slaves that, by mob vio- 
lence, and in contravention of law, they have kept 
from their legal owners, they have not secured the 
emancipation of a single slave, from Passamaquoddy 
to the Gulf of Mexico ; nay, so far from it, they 
have greatly retarded the efforts of the coloniza- 
tion societies every-where ; they have poisoned the 
minds and inflamed the wrath of slaveholders in the 
south, till a decent man, and especially a minister, 
hailing from a free state, can hardly pass, or repass, 
in a slave territory, without the risk of a suit of tar 
and feathers, and even pulling hemp by the neck oc- 
casionally. And this mighty mountain of the north, 
that for years, yea, many years, has been heaving, 
bellowing, and groaning, in mighty pain, to be de- 
livered, has brought forth; and what is it? a poor, 
little, insignificant m-o-u-s-e ; while conservative 
Methodist preachers, in many instances, who have 
inherited slaves, have set them free, or colonized 
them in Africa. We have gone to slaveholders in 
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, 
and Missouri, in a peaceful Christian way ; and while 
we never ceased to bear an honest testimony against 
the moral evil of slavery — but did not meddle with it 
politically — we successfully persuaded many of these 
slaves and slaveholders to turn to God, and obtain 
religion ; and we got hundreds and thousands of these 
poor slaves set free. Let the many emancipated 
slaves, and their former owners in the above-named 
states, bear witness to the truth of what I here record. 
This is the firm and impregnable ground for a true 
conservative to stand upon ; and this ground will save 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 431 

the Church, the Union, the slave, and the slaveholder ; 
and I would not exchange it for all the ultraisms of the 
north and south put together, and a thousand such. 

In connection with this subject I wish to say a few 
things concerning a meeting I accidentally fell in 
with in Cincinnati, I think in 1848 ; I do not think I 
heard the name of the meeting; if I did, I have for- 
gotten it ; but when I give a very feeble description 
of it, perhaps some of my readers may be able to 
christen the brat, for it was surely begotten in the 
regions, or sprang from the soil of ''bigheadism," and 
the little thing's disease had turned to the " stiff com- 
plaint;" or, in other words, I found the meeting to be 
composed of a heterogeneous mass of disaffected, cen- 
sured, or expelled preachers, that is, the speakers were 
mostly from the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist 
Churches. The house was filled with almost all sorts, 
sizes, and colors; black, white, and yellow, men, 
women, and children. They had called to the chair 
one of their number as moderator. If my memory is 
correct, the first speaker that rose and addressed the 
motley crowd, said he had been so many years a 
regular pastor of a Baptist Church in Kentucky, that 
he had used all his talents and influence to resist the 
damning influence of slavery, but was overruled in 
every attempt. He stated that the ministers and 
ruling members had often met, conversed, and de- 
bated the subject, but he was overruled every time. 
They would not turn slaveholders out of the Church, 
nor make slaveholding a test of membership; and 
after having his righteous soul vexed for years with 
their filthy conversation and conduct, he felt it was 
his duty to come out of the Baptist Church. He then 
warned the members of said Church, and all others, 
to come out of all slaveholding Ciiurches: "Come 



432 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

out, come out; touch not, taste not, and handle not 
the unclean thing." This speech was received with 
applause bj the listening crowd of many colors. 

Next arose a Mr. S h. He said he was a Prot- 
estant Methodist, but had been a member and minis- 
ter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and traveled 
as such for years. He had also fought slavery for a 
long time to get it out of the Church, but always 
failed, for they loved the accursed thing ; and that the 
Methodist Episcopal Church was, to all intents and 
purposes, a slaveholding and a slavery-approving 
Church. The crowd clapped him while he cried, 
" Come out, come out of her, my people," and his 
speech was greatly applauded by the mixed multi- 
tude, colored and all. 

The third speaker was a Presbyterian preacher. 
He said he had experienced the same trials, conflicts, 
and debates with his brethren in the Church, that his 
two brethren who had spoken before had waded 
through, but all of no avail; his conscience would 
not let him remain a member or minister of a slave- 
holding Church any longer; he must come out; and 
exhorted all people to " Come out, and be ye clean, 
and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive 
you, saith the Lord, and I will be your God, and ye 
shall be my people, saith the Lord." 

After this there arose on the floor a very respecta- 
ble-looking man, and replied to most of the statements 
of these three come-outers, and he showed very clear- 
ly, and by irresistible arguments, that the ground 
they took was a false ground, and that they, or the 
principles they advocated, were clearly disorganizing 
and revolutionary in their nature, and in all their tend- 
encies. There was a clerical gentleman sitting at my 
side, who said that from personal knowledge he could 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 433 

say that all three of these men who first addressed 
the audience, were under charges of immorality 
when they pretended to come out of their Churches on 
account of slavery. 

I have seen a great many such preachers as above 
described. When their bad conduct could not be 
borne with in their respective Churches any longer, 
and the disciplinary excisions were about to be in* 
flicted on them, they fled, picking some flaw, or 
alleging some dreadful wrong in the Church as they 
ran and cried, "Come out, come out of her!" 0, 
the infant Church of Christ, how it suff'ered in its 
very minority by the unfaithfulness of its ministers ! 
In the very first little conference of preachers that 
was organized, Judas turned traitor and betrayed the 
blessed Savior. Peter perhaps the boldest of the 
twelve, denied him with horrid oaths and bitter curses. 
What do you suppose the astonished ten thought under 
these appalling circumstances? Judas relented, and 
hung himself for the dreadful wrong he had done 
against the innocent Savior. Peter felt compunc- 
tion and wept bitterly; was mercifully reclaimed or 
converted from his apostasy, and, for many years of 
persecution and trial, strengthened his brethren. 
What a fearful account will unfaithful preachers, 
who have torn, rent, and divided the Church of 
God, have to give in the day of judgment, when 
the blighting curses of Heaven shall fall on their un- 
faithful and devoted heads ! Lord, save us from un- 
faithfulness ! 

On my way to conference at Nashville in the fall 
of 1844, I was suddenly taken ill with a real shaking 
ague in a large, extensive prairie, ten miles across, 
and shook so severely that I could not sit in my 
sulky. I got out and lay down on the grass, and 

37 



434 AUTOBIOGRAPHTOP 

really tliouglit I should die for want of water. No 
house or water near, no human being approached me 
to aid me in any way; but after about two hours my 
shaking abated, and I traveled some ten or twelve 
miles to a camp meeting which was in progress at 
brother Gilham's camp-ground, where I lingered a 
day or two. There was a botanic doctor on the ground, 
who lived in Alton City. He kindly took me to his 
house, and, in a few days, checked my disease. The 
preachers all left me, being anxious to be at confer- 
ence, which was to commence on the Wednesday 
following. They, as well as myself, were totally in 
despair of my reaching the conference. I was very 
anxious to get there, for the great question, so far 
as our conference Vv^as concerned, was to be settled 
of concurrence or non-concurrence with the recom- 
mendation of the General conference. 

I waited till Friday morning. I prayed for strength 
to go to conference, and, while praying, a strong im- 
pression was made on my mind that I could get there. 
I rose from my knees and determined to try. The 
doctor remonstrated against 411J attempting to go, 
but I deliberately told him I was going if I died in 
one mile. When he saw I was determined to try it, 
he put up some medicine, and I got a good brother 
to drive my horse for me and started, and, strange as 
it may appear, I mended every mile, and on Sunday 
morning I reached the conference, and was able to 
attend to business the balance of the session, and 
especially to take a part in the debates, and carry the 
vote in favor of non-concurrence. This circumstance 
I have always looked upon as a kind interposition of 
Providence; and, indeed, the defeat of this project by 
the annual conferences was directed by God himself; 
and could the Methodist Episcopal Church have got- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 435 

ten justice in the civil courts, according to the true 
merits of the case, the ill-gotten gains of the southern 
secession would have been small; but I predict that 
it will not prosper with them. 

My appointment this fall was to the Bloomington 
district, which was composed of the following ap- 
pointments, namely: Bloomington, Mount Pleasant, 
Monticello, Clinton, Havana, Fancy Creek, Decatur, 
and Postville. This was a gloomy conference year. 
We had very little revival influence in our district, or 
in the conference, and, indeed, scarcely any through- 
out the Methodist Episcopal Church. The delegates 
of the General conference from the southern confer- 
ences returned home, and appointed mass meetings 
in every direction, and poured out the phials of wrath 
upon the Methodist Episcopal Church, especially the 
majority of the members of the General conference. 
They declared that we were all abolitionists, and 
drummed up a convention of the preachers from the 
slaveholding conferences. Bishop Soule presided in 
it, sitting calmly on the ignited clouds, and directing 
the thunder-storm; a»d though that convention, by 
solemn vote, renounced the jurisdiction of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, and formed themselves into 
a separate organization; and though Bishop Soule 
declared in the General conference of 1844 that he 
would not be immolated on a northern or southern 
altar, but on the altar of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church; now, notwithstanding all this and a thou- 
sand times as much, he had the very uncommon 
hardihood to come round and preside in our confer- 
ences which had not seceded, and persisted in this 
course, lending all his aid and influence to the seces- 
sion, till the Ohio conference gave him a glorious 
ouster, and refused to let him preside over them. I 



436 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

had prepared this dose for his honor if he had attend- 
ed the Rock River or Illinois conferences, but after 
the rebuff the Ohio conference gave him, prudence, 
with him, for once prevailed, and he did not attend 
our conferences, but Bishop Morris attended and pre- 
sided in them. 

There never were more unfair and foul means re- 
sorted to by any set of ministers to divide and destroy 
a Church than was resorted to by many of these slave- 
holding preachers in the south; and I can not help 
blaming Bishop Soule more than all the rest. I shall 
always believe that the goodness of Bishop Andrew's 
heart was such that he would have voluntarily pledged 
himself to the General conference that he would, as 
soon as practicable, remove the impediment ; and if 
he had done this, it would have been hailed, and 
hailed with a shout, by the delegates from all the ad- 
hering conferences, the few ultra abolitionists not ex- 
cepted. If he had done so, how much better would it 
have been for himself, for the South, for the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church, and, indeed, for our distracted 
country at large ! and perhaps the blessedness of such 
a course in Bishop Andrew would have told with 
thrilling effect on the surrounding millions in other 
governments; and unborn milHons, of future genera- 
tions, would rise up and call him blessed. Though he 
might be dead, and gone to heaven, yet his noble, 
magnanimous. Christian example would have told in 
tones of thunder on an ungodly and oppressive world ; 
and the lucid light of his Christian example would 
have shone with brilliant splendor, and the example 
thus set by a Methodist bishop would have said to all 
the world, "Follow me, as I have followed Christ." 

The Bishop in this case should have known no man, 
or set of men after the flesh. I know the preachers 



PETER CART AV RIGHT. 437 

friendly to slavery clung to him and his case as a for- 
lorn hope, and as the last resort to carry their point 
with ; namely, slavery in the episcopacy ; and a fairer 
subject they never could have had; for although we 
think Bishop Andrew did wrong in this matter, and 
greatly erred, yet we love him, and think him a good 
man, and that he was every way worthy of the office 
of a bishop, slavery excepted. 

My heart has bled at every opening pore, at the 
untold mischief this rupture in the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church has and will produce, from the very 
nature of things — I mean fallen nature. The Southern 
preachers will, in self-justification, throw the blame 
on the preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
and thereby poison the minds of a great majority of 
the slaveholding south; for they are as rabidly in 
favor of slavery as the extravagant abolitionists are 
against it. With the two extreme parties there is no 
middle ground ; for each of them, assuming that they 
are infallibly right, cry out, "They that are not for us 
are against us." I have contended with these two 
extremes for many years, as a preacher of the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church, and I have often been astounded 
beyond measure at the absurdities and inconsistencies 
of these extreme belligerent parties ; but why should 
I? It is as certain for extremes to engender absurd- 
ities, inconsistencies, and self-evident contradictions, 
as for effects to follow causes, or for like to go to like 
philosophically. As one of these extremes has re- 
nounced the jurisdiction of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, leaving the middle-ground ministers and 
members of it completely and altogether in the range 
and raking fire of the artillery of the northern ultras, 
I have indulged in the fond hope that these northern 
abstractionists would, if they can not be reconciled to 



438 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

conservative, consistent Methodism, as it was from 
the beginning, go and set up for themselves, and let 
the old, conservative Methodist Episcopal Church 
alone; but no, they seem determined to agitate, and 
keep on agitating, till they drive us into another 
inglorious secession, and they remain in peaceable 
possession of the hard earnings of all the labors of 
conservative Methodist members and preachers from 
the beginning. But no, I can tell them for their 
comfort, if they are within the reach of comforting 
considerations, if this is their aim, they need not put 
any flattering unction to their souls on this ground, 
for the Methodist Episcopal Church 

" Has fought through many a battle sore," 

and she 

" Expects to fight through many more," 

and will stand as she is, and as she has always been ; 
and while there is a splinter from a shattered plank 
of the old Methodist ship Zion, I intend to hold on 
to her with a dying grasp, and if necessity compels, 
with our dying breath cry to all around, '' Do n't give 
up the ship !" 

I am devoutly glad that there is an overruling 
Providence, where we may place our hope and con- 
fidence; and though we can not see through or com- 
prehend the permissive providences of God, yet if we 
can, under all circumstances, trust God aright, we are 
assured that " all things shall work together for good 
to them that love him." May not this slavery seces- 
sion from the Methodist Episcopal Church be over- 
ruled by a divine Providpnce, and react, and show 
that the wisdom of men is foolishness with God? and 
under the overruling interposition of the Almighty, 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 439 

hasten in its time the total extinction of slavery, that 
has so long placed a foul blot upon the fair escutcheon 
of our country! Who knows, or can divine? Let 
us look to God, and constantly and ardently pray, 
" Thy kingdom come ; thy will be done in earth as 
it is in heaven ;" use spiritual weapons, and leave all 
events to God. 

It will be found, on an examination of our Minutes, 
that the year before the great southern secession, the 
increase of membership in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church was over one hundred thousand ; that in the 
year of and after the secession there was a decrease 
of over thirty-one thousand members. A great many 
of these were along what was called the line, in the 
border conferences, who were not numbered in either 
division; and a great number, from the confusion and 
dissatisfaction that arose in the Church from this rup- 
ture, attached themselves to other Churches ; and 
perhaps many went out that never returned to either 
division, nor did they seek membership in any other 
branch of the Christian Church, and perhaps were 
lost forever. What an awful thought ! These were 
the fearful, legitimate results of schism ; and, indeed, 
this dreadful rupture in the Methodist Church spread 
terror over almost every other branch of the Church 
of Christ; and really, disguise it as we may, it shook 
the pillars of our American government to the center, 
and many of our ablest statesmen were alarmed, and 
looked upon it as the entering wedge to political dis- 
union, and a fearful step toward the downfall of our 
happy republic ; and it is greatly to be feared that 
the constant agitation and unscrupulous anathemas 
indulged in by frenzied preachers and unprincipled 
demagogues, political demagogues, that seek more for 
the spoils of office than the freedom of the slave or the 



440 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

good of the country, -will so burst the bonds of broth- 
erly love and the real love of country, that all the 
horrors of civil war will break upon us shortly, and 
firebrands, arrows, and death, be thrown broad-cast 
over the land, and anarchy, mobs, and lawless despe- 
radoes reign triumphant; and then the fair fabric of 
our happy republic will be tumbled into ruins, and the 
liberties that our fathers fought for, and that cost the 
blood and treasure of the best patriots that ever lived, 
wUl be lost forever. I would beg imploringly all hon- 
est-hearted lovers of their country, and the liberties 
we enjoy, to unitedly stand up against every device, 
stratagem, and political combination, whether secretly 
or openly carried on, by dishonest intriguers, to ruin 
our country^ 



•■^ 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 441 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

TRAVELING PRAIRIE IN WINTER. 

In the fall of 1845 our Illinois conference was held 
in Springfield, September 3d; Bishop Morris presid- 
ing. I was returned to the Bloomington district, 
which remained pretty near as before. This district 
lies in a vast, fertile prairie country, interspersed with 
delightful groves, and at this time was but sparsely 
populated; but since has rapidly filled up and im- 
proved. The district then extended from the mouth 
of the Sangamon river, where it empties into the Illi- 
nois river, and up said river to near the mouth of the 
Mackinaw river; thence east to Bloomington, and 
still east to the head of the Sangamon river; thence 
with said river to its mouth. There was also a part 
of the Decatur, and the entire of Monticello circuits, 
south of this river, appended to this district. In 
the dead of winter, or in the spring floods, it was 
tolerably hazardous to go through and around this 
district, and very laborious to go round it four times 
in the year. 

In the winter of 1845-46, my round of winter quar- 
terly meetings commenced ; there had fallen a deep 
snow, turned warm, and rained in torrents ; then sud- 
denly turned intensely cold ; the streams mostly froze 
over, and nearly the whole face of the country was 
one continued sheet of ice. This storm came upon 
me at or near Bloomington, the north edge of my 



442 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

district. Mj next quarterly meeting was soutli of 
the Sangamon river, sixty or seventy miles distant. 
My friends dissuaded me from making even an at- 
tempt to go to it. I well knew it was hazardous in 
the extreme ; but I, as a traveling preacher, had, from 
the beginning of my itinerancy, seldom ever made a 
disappointment, and had a very great aversion to 
these disappointments, having always made it a deter- 
mined point, if possible, to fill my appointments ; and 
if diflSculties surrounded me, I never knew whether I 
could overcome them or not, till I tried ; so to try was 
my motto ; and if, after using due diligence in trying, 
my way was so insurmountably hedged up that I could 
not accomplish impossibilities, I in the main felt con- 
tented and happy ; for, in my early career as a trav- 
eling preacher, I learned this happy lesson not to fight 
against Providence. So in despite of the importuni- 
ties of my friends I set out. 

My way lay mostly through a dreary and uninhab- 
ited prairie, with a small blind path, which, in many 
places, was rendered invisible by the snow and 
ice; but, fortunately for me, my way led south, be- 
tween two large branches, not far to my right and 
left ; and these being considerably swollen by the late 
rains, and then suddenly frozen over, I found to be 
a better guide than my blind path ; for when I would 
miss my path, and veer too much to the right, I would 
meet my branch frozen over, and wheel to the left 
again ; and so it would be when I would get oif the 
track to the left hand. Thus guided, I measured 
about twenty miles, and about one o'clock I hove up 
to a point where these two branches met and formed 
a large creek, which was overflowing its banks, and 
was swimming from bank to bank. For many miles 
back I had not passed a solitary house, but right 



PETER CARTWRiaHT. 443 

here \Yas a little, old, solitary smoky cabin, and a 
poor, dirty, ragged family, hovering and shivering 
over a small j&re. The man, the head of the family, 
was gone out hunting. I was hungry, and asked for 
food, but the good woman informed me she could not 
give me any thing to eat, for the best of reasons, they 
had nothing for themselves. I looked around, and 
plainly saw I could not quarter there that night. But 
how to get on to the settlement about six miles ahead 
was the question. The woman informed me, if I 
could cross the branch which had guided me to the 
right as I came there, and then would take the tim- 
ber along the margin of the large creek, into which 
my branches emptied, for my guide, in about seven 
miles I would come to houses. But how to get over 
this branch was the puzzle. It was at least one hun- 
dred yards across, being swollen with the last rains, 
and it v/as frozen over, but would not bear my horse. 
So I paused a minute, and thought over my condition. 
I plainly saw I must retrace my steps till I could 
cross this branch, and if I could not cross it at all, I 
must return to the settlement from whence I had 
started. So I got in my buggy, cracked my whip, 
and started back. In the course of a mile or two my 
branch narrowed considerably, which inspired me 
with cheering hopes. 

I made several attempts to cross the branch, but 
my horse broke through, and with great difficulty I 
would retreat ; and after retreating four or five miles, 
my branch spread out largely, and became very 
shallow ; so in I ventured. My horse broke through, 
but from the shallowness of the water, I got safely 
across ; and leaving the branch to the left, and 
wheeling again south, took it for my guide, and pres- 
ently came to the main creek, which leaving to my 



444 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

left, urged on my way for the settlement ; and though 
I had to cross many ponds frozen over, and many 
branches in the same condition, my horse nearly 
worn down, and myself cold, hungry, and much fa- 
tigued, about dark I came up to a cabin, and it 
looked so much like the one I had left in the point 
that I passed on. The second cabin I came to looked 
better ; and though a total stranger in this region of 
the country, when I hailed at the gate, who should 
come out but an old class-leader and exhorter in the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, whose acquaintance I 
had made some time before at a distant quarterly 
meeting. He saluted me as one blessed of the Lord, 
bid me a cordial welcome, and so did his fine sisterly 
wife and children. My horse was put up, and well 
cared for ; and soon a good backwoods supper, that 
abounded in all the substantial of life, was on the 
table. We sat down, and I partook with a relish only 
known to a weary, hungry man. We had prayers, 
and the most of us got shouting happy ; and one of his 
interesting sons, while we were all engaged in prayer, 
was solemnly convicted, and after praying in mighty 
agony for several hours, the Lord blessed him with a 
powerful sense of the forgiveness of his sins. For 
hours we sung, prayed, and shouted together, then I 
retired to rest, and I slept as sweet and sound as if I 
had been bedded on a divan of King Solomon's palace. 
This young man shouted and praised God nearly all 
night. 

This is the way God converts sinners in the back- 
woods, and a very faint specimen of the way that 
western pioneer Methodist preachers planted Meth- 
odism in the valley of the Mississippi. This good old 
brother remained a few years among us, and witnessed 
a good confession ; left the world with a triumphant 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 445 

shout, fell asleep in Jesus, and went home to 
glory ! 

Next morning I started on to my quarterly meeting, 
and just as I got to the bridge, on the main Sangamon 
river, the high water had surrounded it, but not deep 
enough to swim my horse, who waded through, and I 
passed over safely, and got to my quarterly meeting in 
good time ; and although the weather was disagree- 
able, yet the people crowded out. The word of God 
took hold on sinners, many of them wept, and cried 
for mercy, and found by happy experience, that 
Christ had power on earth to forgive sins. About 
twenty-eight were soundly converted to God, the most 
of whom joined the Church, and Methodism was 
planted here firmly, never to be destroyed, I humbly 
trust. I have often thought of this scene, and many 
similar scenes through which I have passed, during 
my protracted ministry ; and when I look back on 
them my heart grows warm, and swells with gratitude 
to my heavenly Father for the sanction he has given 
to my poor little ministry amid all the sacrifices and 
sufferings through which I have passed, as a Meth- 
odist itinerant preacher ; and to his holy name be all 
the glory, both now and forever ! 

In the Bloomington district I had many warm 
personal friends, many members that I had received 
into the Church in Kentucky, and some, in whose 
houses I had preached in the days of my comparative 
youth ; and although it was a hard district for me to 
travel, my family living entirely beyond its bounds, 
yet I was much attached to this field of labor and the 
brethren, preachers, and people. Some of these old 
members had fought side by side with me in Ken- 
tucky and western Tennessee, where and when 
Methodism had many glorious triumphs over slavery;^ 



446 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

whisky, and superfluous dressing. These were her 
internal foes ; but she not only triumphed over these 
enemies, but she triumphed over her combined hosts 
of inveterate and uncompromising sectarian enemies, 
and attained an elevated position in the affections of 
very many of the best citizens of those states. Now, 
many of those brethren who sung, prayed, and preached 
to and with us, have fallen asleep in Jesus, and 
sing and shout in heaven ; while a few, and compar- 
atively very few of us old soldiers, linger on the 
shores of time, still fighting under the banners of 
Christ; and our motto is, ''Victory, or death!" 

Our next annual conference sat in Paris, Edgar 
county, Illinois, September 23, 1846 ; Bishop Ham- 
line presiding. Our next, at Jacksonville, Morgan 
county, Illinois, September 22, 1847 ; Bishop Waugh 
presiding. During the three years I was on the 
Bloomington district we had general peace and some 
considerable prosperity. During the last conference 
year that I was on this district, some incidents oc- 
curred, which I will relate. 

My winter's round of quarterly meetings com- 
menced at Bloomington ; brother Samuel Elliott was 
preacher in charge, and it was his second year. There 
had fallen a very deep snow, which had greatly blocked 
up the roads ; and by some strange forgetfulness in 
me, I started for my Bloomington quarterly meeting 
a week too soon ; it was very cold, and I had an open 
bleak prairie to travel through. The first day I rode 
about forty miles, and late in the evening I arrived 
at a very friendly brother's house, but, behold ! when 
1 went in, I found a large company, consisting of 
parts of several families, that had taken shelter under 
this friendly roof, from the severe cold and pitiless 
storm of snow that had fallen ; but all was as pleasant 



PETER CART WEIGHT. 447 

as could be expected in a crowd, in very cold weather. 
When we came to retire to rest, it was found that all 
the beds had to be put into requisition, to accommo- 
date the females; what was to be done with the five 
or six men of us that composed a part of the company? 
Our accommodation was cared for in something like 
the following way. A large fire was made up, and 
plenty of wood brought in to keep it up all night. 
Large buffalo robes and quilts were spread down be- 
fore the fire, and plenty of blankets and quilts for 
covering; and after praying together, we all retired 
to rest, and though our bedding was hard, we slept 
soundly. 

Rising early next morning, I mounted my horse, 
and started on my way to Waynesville, a little 
village which gave name to one of my circuits. 
Brother John A. Brittenham was preacher in charge. 
He saluted me in good brotherly style, and inquired 
which way I was traveling. I informed him I was 
bound for the Bloomington quarterly meeting. He 
said, "That meeting is not till Saturday week; so 
brother Elliott informs me." 

I was surprised, -and immediately turned to the 
District Book, and found it even so. Well, what w^as 
now to be done? Shall I retrace my steps, two days, 
back home ; and then travel over this dreary, cold 
road here again? Or what shall I do? Said brother 
Brittenham, 

" Stay with us, and let us have meeting every night 
till just time for you to reach your quarterly meeting 
in Bloomington." 

" Agreed," said I. 

This was a very wicked little village. The Church 
was feeble, and greatly needed a revival. We sent 
out, and gathered a small congregation, and tried to 



448 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

preach to them; and there were some signs of good. 
Next night our congregation was considerably larger, 
with increasing evidences of good. The third night 
our house was not sufficient to hold the congregation ; 
and there were mighty displays of the power of God. 
Some shouted aloud the praise of God; some wept. 
Our altar was crowded with mourners, and several 
souls were converted; but, notwithstanding, the 
place was made awful by reason of the power of 
God; some mocked and made sport. Among these 
were two very wicked young men, ringleaders in 
wickedness. After interrupting the congregation, and 
profanely cursing the religious exercises of the people 
of God, they mounted their horses, and started home. 
After, or about the time of their starting home, they 
made up a race for a trifling sum, or a bottle of 
whisky, and started off, under whip, at full speed; 
but had not run their horses far, till the horse of the 
most daring and presumptuous of those young men 
flew the track, and dashed his rider against a tree, 
knocked the breath out of him, and he never spoke 
again. Thus, unexpectedly, this young man, with all 
his blasphemous oaths still lingering on his lips, was 
suddenly hurried into eternity, totally unprepared to 
meet his God. 

The tidings of this awful circumstance ran with 
lightning speed through the village and country 
round; an awful panic seized upon the multitude, 
and such weeping and wailing among his relatives 
and people at large, I hardly ever beheld before. 
There was no more persecution during the protracted 
meeting which lasted for many days ; and it seemed, 
at one time, after this calamity had fallen on this 
young man, that the whole country was in an agony 
for salvation. Many, very many, professed religion 



PETER CAPwTWRIGHT. 449 

and joined the Church, but the exact number I do 
not now recollect. 

Before our meeting closed here, brother Elliott, 
who had kept up a series of meetings in Bloomington, 
preparatory to the quarterly meeting — which meetings 
had been greatly blessed — met me in Waynesville, and 
we returned to the battle-field in Bloomington again. 
Our meetings were recommenced, and, with constantly- 
increasing interest, were kept up night and day for a 
considerable length of time. Many were convicted, 
reclaimed, converted, and built up in the most holy 
faith. Of the number of conversions and accessions 
to the Church I do not now remember, but it occurs 
to me that it was seventy or eighty. Brother Elliott's 
labors were greatly blessed in this charge, the last 
year of his pastoral labors there. 

Another incident occurred, while I was on this dis- 
trict, which I feel disposed to name. There were a 
good many settlements and neighborhoods in the 
bounds of the district where the people had become, 
in opinion, Universalists, and, judging from their 
morality, or rather their immorality, this doctrine 
suited them well ; and it is a little strange, but no 
stranger than true, I say, without any fear of contra- 
diction, the most of these Universalists had been 
members of some Christian Church, and had back- 
slidden and lost their religion, if ever they had any. 
In the course of my peregrinations I fell in with one 
of their preachers, who really thought himself a 
mighty smart, talented man, and was ready for debate, 
in public or private, on all occasions. His assumed 
boldness gave him great consequence with his hood- 
winked disciples. He was very loquacious, and had 
some clumsy play on words. After conversing with 
him a few minutes, I took my line, common sense, and 
38 



450 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

sounded liim. He affected to have great veneration 
for my gray hairs ; but I soon found his veneration for 
my gray hairs arose more from a fear of my gray 
arguments than otherwise. He was a man of slender 

o 

constitution, and had been, and was then, greatly 
afflicted with sore eyes, and was threatened with the 
total loss of sight. He, in the course of our conver- 
sation, said there could not be any such being as a 
personal devil, who could be every-where present at 
one and the same time, tempting mankind to evil; and 
as for a future place of punishment called hell, there 
was no such place; that the temptations of man arose 
from his fallen nature and not from the devil, and 
the punishment that man would suffer for his evil 
doings he suffered in this life, and these sufferings con- 
sisted in the compunctions of conscience for his moral 
delinquencies, and his bodily afflictions. 

" Well," said I, " my dear sir, if your argument is 
a sound one, I must draw very unfavorable conclusions 
in reference to the magnitude of your crimes." 

"Why so?" responded he. 

"Well, sir, for a very good reason. As to your 
moral delinquencies, and your compunctions of con- 
science, they are best known, perhaps, to yourself; 
but as to your bodily afflictions, as a punishment, I 
think I can draw very fair inferences, for I can not 
conceive of a greater bodily affliction than the loss of 
sight; and as your vision is almost gone, and you 
have expressed your firm belief that you will lose 
your sight altogether, I must, if your doctrine be true, 
number you among the greatest sinners on earth, for 
God is too wise to err, and too good to inflict un- 
deserved punishment." I tell you his stars and stripes 
were not only dropped to half mast, but trailed in the 
dust. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 451 

There were some evil reports about this preacher 
and a certain landlord's lady who kept public enter- 
tainment. Another Methodist minister and myself 
called to stay all night at this house, as we were on a 
journey. The landlord was from home. We were 
known to this lady, but she charged us tolerably high, 
and, Universalist as she was, I think her conscience 
smote her a little for charging preachers, and she 
began to make a kind of apology for doing so. She 
said, ^'Mr. Cartwright, I suppose you will think it a 
little strange that I charge Methodist preachers, but 
you need not, for I charge my own preacher, Mr. ." 

''0, no, madam," said I; '^not at all, not at all. If 

reports about you and Mr. , your preacher, be 

true, such a course, perhaps, is right, and I have 
money enough to pay all Universalist bills, and they 
ought to have it, for all the happiness they will ever 
see is in this life; there is none for them in the life to 
come." You may depend upon it apologies ceased, 
and a dumb dispensation came over our fair hostess. 

Now, who does not see, from these rather desultory 
incidents, the legitimate fruits of a false foundation 
that proposes to save all mankind, irrespective of the 
moral temperament of the heart? or, in other words, 
who does not see the fatal error of the fallacious argu- 
ments that go to prove the final salvation of all man- 
kind, without repentance toward God and faith in our 
Lord Jesus Christ? How many poor, self-deluded 
souls are leaning on this broken staff, and will never 
be awakened to a sense of their true condition till 
they hear the dreadful communication: "The great 
day of His wrath has come, and who shall be able 
to stand!" 

In the fall of 1847, at our annual conference, in 
Jacksonville, our election of delegates to the General 



452 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

conference that sat in Pittsburg in 1848, came oif, 
and, for the ninth time, it pleased the members of the 
conference to return me one of its delegates. This 
General conference was, on many accounts, a very 
interesting one, and especially on account of the state 
of things that had grown up under the late rupture in 
the Church. The Southern preachers had gone from 
the General conference of 1844, with predetermina- 
tion to renounce the jurisdiction of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, which was all planned and determ- 
ined on before the delegates left New York. This 
is a fact clearly settled, and admits of no doubt. But 
how does this course of conduct agree with the solemn 
pledges publicly given to the General conference by 
the Southern delegates, that, on their return home to 
their different fields of labor, they would, if possible, 
allay the agitation in the south? and if there was a 
rupture, it should be of imperious necessity, and not 
of choice? Did they do this? Was there a single 
Christian effort put forth to accomplish this? 0, no! 
never, never! But a very different course was pur- 
sued. The tocsin of war was sounded; the Methodist 
Episcopal Church was denounced as an abolition 
Church, and the cry of self-defense was heard every- 
where, from Virginia to Florida and Louisiana. To 
arms ! to arms ! ye great American people, or these 
abolitionists of the Methodist Episcopal Church will be 
down upon you, and come and steal all our negroes ! 
The convention at Louisville was called, a con- 
vention of delegates from the slaveholding confer- 
ences; and the delegates appeared in regular uni- 
form, equipped and armed according to law. The 
yoke of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a ram- 
pant abolition Church, was thrown off; a separate 
organization was formed: their General confer- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 453 

ence was appointed ; Bishop Soule seceded from the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, went over and joined 
them, and acted as generalisimo. Bishop Andrew, 
unhurt by the dreadful extra judicial act of the aboli- 
tion General conference of 1844, appears with all his 
pontifical robes, shining rather brighter by the aboli- 
tion rubbing that he had gotten; two more slave- 
holding bishops elected ; a jubilant song was sung to 
the tune and words of, Farewell to abolitionists, negro 
stealers, and all the croakers of the north. And, 
after heaping upon the Methodist Episcopal Church 
all kinds of abuse, and every opprobrious epithet 
that the fiery burning vocabulary of the South could 
afi'ord, the Southern General conference, in the plen- 
itude of their goodness and wisdom, sent a delegate 
to the General conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, held in Pittsburg, in 1848, asking a mutual 
and reciprocal fraternization between the Church, 
North, as they misnamed us, and the Church South. 
Now, unprejudiced reader, what do you think of this ? 
A better man and a better Christian gentleman the 
whole south did not afi'ord than Dr. Pierce, their 
messenger on this embassy ; but the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church was caricatured, abused, slandered, and 
in every sense maltreated by the South ; and while 
they were wounded and bleeding at every pore, is it 
to be wondered at that this embassy failed, and that 
every single member of the General conference of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church of 1848 voted against 
fraternization? If they would undo the wrongs they 
had inflicted, and take back their hard speeches, and 
bind themselves to a Christian course in future, then, 
and not till then, could the Methodist Episcopal 
Church think of a Christian fraternization. 

The constitutional vote having failed to be obtained 



454 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

from the annual conferences, in order to render valid 
an alteration of the sixth restrictive feature of the 
constitution, laid down in our Discipline, all the 
doings of the General conference of 1844, with re- 
spect to a division of the Church, the property or 
funds of the Church, or a line of separation, were, to 
all intents, purposes, and constructions, null and void ; 
but still the General conference of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church of 1848 were unwilling that any 
act on their part should be wanting to settle peace- 
ably these Church difficulties ; they, therefore, asked 
again the concurrent three-quarter vote, of all the 
annual conferences, to a peace measure, to stop all, or 
prevent any litigation on the property question ; but 
before our bishops had time to submit this measure to 
the annual conferences that remained firm in the 
union of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the South- 
ern Commissioners commenced a suit, thereby render- 
ing all peaceful constitutional efforts on her part vain. 
The unjust decisions on these suits are well known, 
and will form part and parcel of the history of our 
country, and especially of the unjust judicial decisions 
of the court against the Church. 

At the conference held at Jacksonville, September 
22, 1847, my appointment was to the Springfield 
district, which was composed of the following ap- 
pointments, namely : Springfield station, Taylorsville, 
Sangamon, Petersburg, Beardstown, Carlinville, Hills- 
boro, and Sharon mission. During this confer- 
ence year, 1847-48, we had some splendid revivals, 
and an increase of over five hundred members in 
Springfield, under the faithful labors of brother J. F. 
Jaquess. Great good was done, and many souls were 
converted and added to the Church ; and, although 
some of these promising youths that joined the Church, 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 455 

under hopeful prospects, through persecution and 
other unfavorable causes, fell back into their old 
habits, and made shipwreck of faith, a number 
stood firm, and ornamented their profession, and one 
of them is now an acceptable traveling preacher in 
the Illinois conference. Taylorsville mission shared, 
in a considerable degree, this year, in revival in- 
fluence, under the labors of L. C. Pitner, preacher in 
charge. In Petersburg there was also a good work, 
and a considerable number converted, and a very 
neat church erected, that does honor to the village, 
under the industrious efforts of Benjamin Newman, 
preacher in charge. 

In the fall of 1848 our conference was held in 
Belleville, St. Clair county, Illinois; Bishop Morris 
presiding. In the course of this year there was a 
good religious influence felt in the Sangamon circuit, 
especially in several of the southern appointments, 
that are now included in the Chatham circuit. W. S. 
M' Murray was very successful here in winning over 
to Christ many precious souls. There were many 
conversions, and large additions to the Church; and 
though he has gone to his reward, he will long live in 
the affections of many in the bounds of the then San- 
gamon circuit. He succeeded in erecting a decent 
church on Sugar creek, and the society honored him 
in calling it " M' Murray Chapel:^ 

Brother M'Murray, his wife, and three of his chil- 
dren, w^ere all violently attacked with the cholera, 
and in a few days of each other, they fell victims 
to its violence ; but he will long live in the affec- 
tions and remembrance of many, especially of those 
whom he was the instrument, under God, of convert- 
ing. Peace to his memory ! and may the Lord 
take care of, and provide for the three orphan 



456 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

children that brother and sister M'Murray loft 
behind ! 

In the fall of 1849 our conference was held in 
Quincy, Adams county, Illinois; Bishop Janes pre- 
siding. This year I was returned to the Springfield 
district. There were no great revivals in the bounds 
of the district this year, though the Church in the 
main was in a peaceful, healthy condition ; some con- 
versions, and some increase in the membership. 

I beg leave here to devote a few lines in giving a small 
sketch of our German work. It is only a few years 
since it pleased God to awaken and convert Dr. Nast, 
now editor of the German " Apologist." He came 
to America a German rationalist, or infidel. He was 
awakened and converted under the labors of the 
ministry of the Methodists. He was soon licensed to 
preach, and was the first German missionary to thou- 
sands of our foreign German population. God soon 
gave him seals to his ministry; sent his awakening, 
convincing power, and powerfully converted some of 
his countrymen. He also raised up some of these 
new converts to preach the Gospel to the Germans ; 
and with Dr. Nast and his co-laborers the German 
mission started. Soon, circuits were formed, and the 
work of God spread through Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, 
and Illinois. God raised up faithful and able German 
preachers, to carry the tidings of salvation to their 
perishing countrymen that were here, or coming by 
the thousand to America. Many who were Catholics, 
Lutherans, rationalists, and infidels, were happily 
converted to God; the work spread and increased, 
till stations, circuits, and districts were formed, and 
are still forming ; and they come the nighest to old- 
fashioned, or primitive Methodism, of any people I 
ever saw. 



PETER CAR TW RIGHT. 457 

I was once in conversation with brother Jacoby, 
and advising him to Americanize his German Meth- 
odists, when he said to me, ''There are three things 
that must be done to a German before you can get 
him right. He must first be converted in his head, 
for his head is wrong. Secondly, he must be con- 
verted in his heart, for his heart is wrong. Then, 
thirdly, he must be converted in his purse, for his 
undue love of money makes his purse wrong. If," 
said he, " we can convert him in all these respects, 
we can soon Americanize him and make a good Meth- 
odist out of him, and then he will stick." 

It will be remembered that these Germans in the 
west all belong to the Ohio, Indiana, Rock River, 
and Illinois conferences. They are doing great good, 
and have been greatly prospered by the Lord. Thou- 
sands of the Germans can be reached by preachers 
of their own language, that can never be reached by 
English preachers. They need our aid and encour- 
agement. Let us hold them up, and the good they 
are destined to do, and the hundreds of thousands that 
they may be, and will be, instrumental in bringing to 
the knowledge of the truth, are far beyond our most 
sanguine calculations. Many of them are poor, and 
many avaricious, and either can not or will not sup- 
port the Gospel till they are converted ; then they 
will gladly and cheerfully give according to their 
ability, and by our aiding them now, and supporting 
missionaries to labor in these missionary fields till 
they are converted and able to become self-support- 
ing, we shall do a good work. 

What a blessing it is to have ministers to meet 
those foreigners when they land on our shores, and 
tender them salvation in their own language ! I do 
not believe we can invest our missionary donations 

39 



458 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

SO as to do as much good any where else as by applying 
it to the support of ministers to preach to all foreign- 
ers that are crowding to our happy country ; and, by 
the by, this is a much cheaper plan than to fit mission- 
aries to go to foreign lands, and there undergo the tedi- 
ous process of learning their languages, or of preaching 
to them through an interpreter ; and our missionary 
appropriations will go further, and accomplish more 
good. And when I consider the good already done 
among the foreign population that are here in our 
midst from diiferent nations, it gladdens my heart. I 
have been a close observer of the effect the Gospel 
has had upon these foreigners, so far as they have 
come under the influence of the usages of the Meth- 
odist Church. Their close attendance on and atten- 
tion to class meetings, prayer meetings, love-feasts, 
family prayer, and, in a word, all the means of grace, 
are worthy of all commendation; for I know close 
attention to these means of grace is the reason of the 
great success of the Methodist Church in other and 
former years ; and the want of attention to these 
duties in our members now, is the grand cause of the 
deadnoss and barrenness of the Church. 

In the fall of 1850, September 18th, our conference 
was held in Bloomington, M'Lean county, Illinois; 
Bishop Hamline presiding. During this conference 
year one of our old, well-tried, and faithful preachers, 
Charles Holliday, had fallen a victim to death. I 
had been long and intimately acquainted with him. 
We had long lived and labored together, and nothing 
contrary to Christian love ever existed between us 
that I know of. I was called upon to preach his 
funeral sermon before the conference, and did so as 
best I could from the short and unexpected notice given 
me that I had it to do, and perhaps I can not say any 



PETER CART A\^ RIGHT. 459 

thing about this good old brother better than to tran- 
scribe, substantially, Avhat is said in his obituary, 
printed in our General Minutes, namely : 

"Rev. Charles Holhday died March 8, 1850, in 
his seventy-ninth year. He was the son of James 
and Mary Holliday, and was born in the city of Bal- 
timore, Maryland, November 23, 1771. His parents 
were members of the Presbyterian Church. They 
not only trained him up in its doctrines and moral 
discipline, but his education was conducted with 
special reference to his entering the ministry in that 
Church. His parents dying while he was in his 
minority, he abandoned the idea of entering the min- 
istry, and turned his attention to secular pursuits. 
At what age he became pious we have no specific in- 
formation. In the month of May, 1793, he was 
united in marriage with Miss Sarah Watkins, a lady of 
good understanding, sound and discreet judgment, 
who afterward became a devoted, pious, and faithful 
Christian. The day after they were married they, 
in company, united with the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and commenced family devotions the same 
evening. In 1797 he received license as a local 
preacher. His license was regularly renewed annu- 
ally from that time till September 30, 1809, at which 
time he was admitted on trial in the traveling con- 
nection in the Western conference, and appointed 
to the Danville circuit. In October of the same 
year he was ordained deacon by Bishop Asbury. In 
1810 he was appointed to the Lexington circuit, 
where he remained two years, and was ordained 
elder by Bishop M'Kendree, October 11, 1811; in 
1812 he was appointed to Shelby circuit; in 1813 
he was appointed presiding elder of Salt River dis- 
trict, where he remained three years; in July, 1816, 



460 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

being bereaved of bis pious and faitbful wife by death, 
who left him with nine children, he found it neces- 
sary to locate. The certificate of his location is dated 
September 7, 1816, signed by Bishop M'Kendree. 
In the former part of the year 1817 he entered into 
a second marriage with Miss Elizabeth Spears. This 
lady, who still lives, proved to be a devoted woman and 
wife, and a kind mother and faithful guardian to his 
children. His family being now provided for, he was 
readmitted into the traveling work in 1817, and ap- 
pointed to the Cumberland district, Tennessee con- 
ference, where he remained four years. From 1821 
to 1825 he labored as presiding elder on Green 
River district, Kentucky conference; in the fall of 
1825 he took a transfer to the Illinois conference, 
and was appointed to the Wabash district, where he 
continued to labor till the meeting of the General 
conference of 1828, at which time he received the 
appointment of Book Agent at Cincinnati, in which 
he continued eight years. At the close of his term 
of service as Book Agent he was transferred to the 
Illinois conference, and in 1836 was appointed pre- 
siding elder of the Lebanon district, where he con- 
tinued two years. He was appointed presiding elder 
on the Alton district in 1838, which was the last 
district on which he labored. He continued in an 
effective relation to the conference, filling such small 
appointments and doing such work as hi^ declining 
strength would permit, till 1846, when he was grant- 
ed a superannuation, and in this relation he re- 
mained till the close of his useful life. He attended 
the conference in Quincy in September, 1849. On 
his way to that conference he was attacked with 
disease of the kidneys, from which he never recovered. 
Although his sufferings in this his last illness were 



ETER CART WRIGHT. 461 

extreme, he frequently exulted in the grace of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, which enabled him to bear so 
much suffering without complaining. He retained 
his reason to the last. It had been his practice for 
thirty years to pray three times a day in his family, 
and from his devotional spirit we wonder not that his 
sun of life set in great peace." 

In summing up the character of our lamented 
brother Holliday, we may say, that there are few 
traits of real excellence that he did not possess in an 
eminent degree. As a preacher he was clear, sound, 
and practical. When he indulged in doctrinal con- 
troversy, although he was decided, and expressed his 
views in strong language, he was always kind and 
loving to his opponent; in' all the relations of life as 
a husband, a father, a pastor, a friend, a companion, 
he was a most lovely and interesting man, and in the 
sufferings and disappointments of life his conduct was 
characterized by that ''charity that suffereth long 
and is kind." His end was peace, and many in the 
day of eternity will rise up and call him blessed. 
. Thus lived and thus died one of our old members of the 
Western conference, the only conference, at the time 
of our brother's commencing his itinerant life, that 
was in this natural as well as moral waste, or in the 
valley of the Mississippi. The death of brother Hol- 
liday was a solemn dispensation to me, and having to 
preach his funeral sermon to the whole conference, as 
well as many others, and having but a few minutes' no- 
tice, and no time to prepare, it was a tremendous cross, 
and I have always feared that I did not do justice 
to the life, labors, and Christian virtues of this man 
of God; but under the circumstances I did the best I 
could, and ask a kind indulgence of the congregation 
for all the defects of that performance. Let us unitedly 



462 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

join, and devoutly pray, "Let me die the death of the 
righteous, and let my last end be like his," as said the 
text on that occasion ; and if this prayer is answered, 
we shall soon reach the place where funeral dirges are 
never sung, and death never enters. 

In the fall of 1851, September 17th, our confer- 
ence sat in Jacksonville; Bishop Waugh presiding. 
Here we elected our delegates to the General con- 
ference which was to sit in Boston, May 1, 1852; 
and although the Indiana conference. Rock River, 
Iowa, and Wisconsin, had grown up, and were organ- 
ized into separate conferences that once belonged to 
the Illinois conference, yet, from the rapid increase 
of population in the state, and from the increase of 
members, and especially the increase of preachers, 
both English and German, it was found indispensable 
to divide again, and form a Southern Illinois confer- 
ence; and the delegates were instructed accordingly. 
It pleased the conference to elect me as one of this 
delegation. This was the tenth time I had been hon- 
ored with an election by the several annual confer- 
ences, of which I was a humble member, to repre- 
sent the interests of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
in the General conference. 

Bishop Hedding, our honorable senior bishop, who 
died April 9, 1852, was, at the date of our confer- 
ence, lingering, with no hope of surviving but a few 
days. Bishop Hamline's health also being extremely 
precarious, all the efficient work of superintending 
the interesting concerns of the whole Church devolv- 
ed on Bishops Waugh, Morris, and Janes. We all 
knew that several additional bishops must be elected 
at our General conference of 1852. From this view, 
together with the infirmities of increasing years of 
Bishop Waugh, he delivered us a very impressive 



PETER CAETWRIGHT. 463 

address at the close of the Illinois conference, stating 
that it was probable this was the last time he should 
ever preside in our midst. This address greatly af- 
fected the whole conference, for the Bishop had pre- 
sided among us with great acceptability, and we hon- 
ored and loved him greatly. We all remembered 
that our beloved Bishop Waugh had gone in and out 
among us blameless, and that we had been greatly ben- 
efited by his counsels, and the impartial manner in 
which he had presided among us; and we always 
found him orthodox in the doctrines and discipline of 
the Church. He was always accessible to the hum- 
blest preacher or member among us, and we found 
him to be what I believe constitutes an old-fashioned 
Methodist bishop ; he raised no new standards in doc- 
trine or discipline, but urged us to ''mind the same 
things, and walk by the same good, old Methodist 
rules." So may all our bishops do ! 

In the fall of 1851, my four years having expired on 
the Springfield district, I was appointed to the Quincy 
district, where I had traveled fifteen years before; 
then my district extended from the mouth of the Illi- 
nois river to Galena, and, indeed, as far north as was 
inhabited by the whites; and yet further still, into the 
Indian country, where I superintended the mission 
among the Pottawattomies. My district was then 
betvv'een four and five hundred miles from north to 
south, and I suppose would average one hundred 
miles from east to west. I then thought the district a 
small one, for when I was first appointed to a district in 
the Illinois conference, in the fixU of 1826, my district 
commenced at the mouth of the Ohio river, and 
extended north hundreds of miles, and was not limit- 
ed by the white settlements, but extended among 
the great, unbroken tribes of uncivilized and unchris- 



464 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

tianized Indians; but now in 1851 how changed was 
the whole face of the country ! The district was 
composed of the following appointments, namely: 
Quincy station, Columbus, Warsaw mission, Chili, 
Pulaski, Rushville station, Rushville circuit, Havana, 
and Beardstown station, about one hundred miles 
from east to west, and I suppose would average from 
thirty to forty from north to south. There was no 
district parsonage and accommodations near its center. 
I lived entirely out of its bounds, and had the Illinois 
river to cross and recross five or six times each 
quarter, and the ravages of many years were upon 
me, so that I found it as hard to travel this small dis- 
trict as I did my first district in the conference, 
which covered more than two-thirds of the geograph- 
ical boundaries of the state. The country had not 
only greatly changed, in rising glory and strength, 
but I had greatly changed also ; my strength was fail- 
ing, so that I dreaded a journey of one hundred miles 
more than I formerly did one thousand. I was well 
pleased with my appointment on many accounts. I 
was much gratified to see the growing improvements 
of the country ; the dense population ; the great in- 
crease in the membership of the Church; the large 
spacious churches that were built; and in addition to 
all this, I met hundreds that I had taken into the 
Church in former years, when a new country tried 
men's souls. They gave me a cordial reception, and 
welcomed back their old presiding elder, and gave 
me unmistakable evidence of their friendship and 
brotherly love. 

But, notwithstanding all this, and a thousand good 
things that I could say with truth and sincerity, I 
found that Methodism, in some places, had gone to 
seed, and was dying out, and, to use our backwoods 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 465 

language, some of the prominent and leading members 
of the flock had become butting rams, or jumping 
ewes, or sullen oxen, or kicking mules. These things 
gave us trouble. One of my preachers, for some 
cause unknown to me, had become greatly prejudiced 
against me; he was appointed this year to the War- 
saw Missionary station. This young, flourishing little 
city of Warsaw stands on the eastern bank of the 
Mississippi, hard by the Fort Edward military post. 
We had a small, though respectable little society 
here, but no church to worship in. The brethren 
had rented a little, old, dilapidated frame, every way 
unsuitable, and in an out-of-the-way place. The 
Presbyterians had a small church; and when our 
quarterly meeting came on, they ofi'ered it for our 
use. The preacher in charge accepted the ofi*er, but 
said perhaps we might protract the meeting. They 
replied we might have it as long as we pleased ; we 
might go on and protract the meeting if we saw prop- 
er. The family of my preacher I was not acquainted 
with; and he, being prejudiced against me, had made 
a bad impression on the mind of his w^ife against me. 
However, she came to meeting, and the Lord blessed 
her, for she was a very good woman. The Lord also 
reached the heart of their interesting little daughter, 
and she joined the Church. After this, the preacher's 
wife expostulated with him, and told him to lay aside 
his prejudices against me, alleging that I must be a 
good man, for the Lord had blessed and was blessing 
my labors in a powerful degree. The old brother 
surrendered, and gave up his prejudices, and we be- 
came very friendly. 

The power of God fell on the congregation almost 
every coming together; and we had crowded congre- 
gations by day and by night. Several were awakened 



466 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

and converted. We protracted the meeting, and 
intended to extend it over several Sabbaths ; but were 
cut short by official information that the congregation 
who owned the church wanted to use it themselves af- 
ter Friday night. We concluded our meeting, thank- 
ful for small favors ; but did firmly believe that this 
unceremonious deprivation of the Presbyterian or 
Congregational church arose from jealousy, or fear of 
our success. If we judge wrong in this matter, we 
devoutly hope to be forgiven by the Lord. 

The quarterly meeting which we have been speak- 
ing of was held the first days of February, 1852. 

Our expulsion from the church in the manner above 
stated, created considerable dissatisfaction, and pro- 
duced a determination, both in and out of our little 
society, to build a church that we could call our own, 
without the danger of being turned out of it at 
any time. Accordingly, a lot was selected, and 
a subscription opened to accomplish this desirable 
object, and from the amount subscribed by the citi- 
zens, together with several hundred dollars obtained 
abroad, we succeeded the next year in erecting a neat 
little brick church to worship in ; and our quarterly 
meeting the next year was held in it, namely, the first 
Sabbath in February, 1853. This meeting was at- 
tended with great power. James I. Davidson was 
preacher in charge this year, whose labors were 
greatly blessed and owned of God. I tried to preach 
during our protracted quarterly meeting about ten 
times, to large and crowded congregations. Sinners 
were deeply convicted, and a great many, I verily 
believe, obtained religion. Over twenty joined the 
Church, among them some good, respectable citizens, 
whom we hope to meet in heaven, and unite in prais- 
ing God forever. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 467 

But right here I wish to say, that in most of our 
revivals many men and women of bad habits and ill- 
fame become operated on, profess religion, and join 
the Church. This has long been, and now is, a great 
objection by many to these revivals, and it has been 
the cause of considerable persecution to the Church. 
But it should be remembered that the economy of the 
Church, in saving souls, is compared by Jesus Christ 
himself to a fisherman casting his net into the sea, 
and inclosing a multitude of fish, both good and bad. 
But who ever condemned the fisherman, because his 
net gathered bad as well as good fish? or who ever 
drew the erroneous conclusion that the net was bad, 
because there were some bad fish inclosed in it? The 
net is to be thrown, the fish, bad and good, are to be 
inclosed, and then the net is to be drawn to shore, on 
dry land, and all alike, both good and bad, taken 
from their natural element. Then, and not till then, 
the process of assorting them is to commence. 

The Methodist Church, in our humble opinion, 
stands, in this respect, on pre-eminently Scriptural 
ground. They give every sinner a chance, and take 
them on probation for six months, not as members, but 
under the care of the Church, on trial for membership ; 
and surely, if they do not in that time give satisfactory 
evidence of their sincerity and fitness for membership, 
it is not likely they ever will. Well, if they do not 
in that time give satisfactory evidence that they are 
in good earnest in seeking their salvation, what then ? 
Expel them ? No ; for they are not members to expel. 
What then? We simply drop them, and consider 
them no longer probationers for membership ; leave 
them where we found them ; we have at least tried 
to do them good, and have done them no harm. 
This is the safety-valve of the Methodist Episcopal 



468 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Church ; six months on trial for membership. How 
dreadfully have other sister Churches been troubled 
in their mode of operation ! They generally believe 
that a Christian can never fall away so as to be finally 
lost, and that it is wrong to receive any into the 
Church who are not Christians. Well, in order to get 
people into the Church, they are often found hurry- 
ing them into a profession of religion when they have 
none ; and then, when all such fall away, with what 
astonishing mortification they have to confess they 
were mistaken; that these souls were deceived; that 
they never had any religion ! and yet they hurl their 
anathemas at Methodist preachers for taking persons 
as probationers for membership without religion, 
while they have actually done infinitely worse, for 
they have taken them into the Church as full mem- 
bers, and as Christians too, when they were not. 
Now, if our economy is wrong, what must theirs be ? 

God bless the citizens of Warsaw, and increase 
their mercies a hundred-fold, for the many acts of 
kindness shown to me the two years I was laboring 
among them. 

In the fall of 1841 Milo Butler, a transfer from the 
Michigan conference, was appointed to the pastoral 
charge of the Quincy City station. It was constituted 
a station under my former presidency in the Quincy 
district, and had existed as a station for more than 
fifteen years. The Church had ebbed and flowed, 
sometimes in prosperity and sometimes in adversity. 
There were some fine, substantial members here ; but 
they at this time, 1851, were in a cold state, evidently 
on back ground. Brother Butler was greatly afilicted, 
and so were his family, this year. He labored faith- 
fully, according to his strength. 

We had a small refreshing in the Church this win- 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 469 

ter, chiefly under the acceptable labors of brother 
Wilson, brother-in-law to Doctor Butler. L. C. Pit- 
ner was appointed to Quincy station in the fall of 
1852 ; and during the months of December, 1852, and 
January, 1853, a glorious revival broke out, such as 
had never been in Quincy before. It really seemed 
as though it would at times overwhelm the whole city. 
High and low, rich and poor, old and young, bowed 
before the mighty power of God. Many of almost all 
kinds of education became the subjects of the convert- 
ing grace of God, and joined the Church ; and when 
our second quarterly meeting came off, in January, 
our church, though large, was filled at love-feast to its 
utmost capacity. The city mission charge, under the 
pastoral care of James L. Crane, belonging to the 
Griggsville district, shared largely in this blessed re- 
vival, and our German Methodist Church caught the 
holy fire ; and it was supposed that over one thousand 
were converted and added to the different charges 
and Protestant Churches in the city of Quincy during 
this happy year. Most of them have proved faithful, 
and are honoring the profession they have made ; but 
some of them have fallen asleep in Jesus, and are 
numbered with the Church above. 

During the two years I was on this district, we had 
good times in Rushville station and Rushville cir- 
cuit, Ripley mission, Pulaski and Columbus cir- 
cuits ; a number were converted and joined the 
Church in all these places. About the 20th of Sep- 
tember, 1852, we had a camp meeting at Sugar Grove, 
in the bounds of the then Columbus circuit. Broth- 
ers J. I. Davidson, Butler, and Pitner came to our 
aid, and labored like men of God ; but what was bet- 
ter still, the Lord came and made one in our midst. 
The word was preached in demonstration of the 



470 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

Spirit and the power of God ; tlie Churcli was 
greatly built up, and many sinners were convicted 
and soundly converted, and about sixty were added 
to the Church. 

This conference year was a great and prosperous 
one to the Church ; and the two years I spent on the 
Quincy district I number among the most pleasant 
of my life. Still we had some trials and disputes in 
the Church which gave us trouble, but the Lord, we 
trust, overruled all, and great good was done ; the 
Church increased in numbers, in deep piety, in close 
attention to her peculiar institutions that God has so 
long blessed and prospered. My strength was failing 
from increasing years, and long and constant itiner- 
ant labors ; I lived on the east end of the district, 
and I had to cross the Illinois river very often, 
which in winter was frequently frozen over for 
months, and in spring the banks were overflowed; 
and I had often to ferry five miles across the water 
extending from blufi" to blufi"; and when the winds 
were high, I have been detained for days together, 
causing me to risk my life, and to miss my appoint- 
ments. Under these circumstances, I was impelled 
to ask the bishop to change the form of the district, 
and make the river the line. 

Our conference in the fall of 1852 was held in the 
town of Winchester, Scott county, Illinois ; and in the 
fall of 1853, the 12th of October, at Beardstown, Cass 
county, Illinois. Bishop Scott was our presiding 
bishop, and a pleasant president he was. It was at 
this conference the above alteration in the Quincy 
district was made, and the Pleasant Plains district 
formed. This district was composed of the fol- 
lowing appointments, namely : Beardstown station, 
Meredosia (now Concord) circuit, Havana, Jackson^ 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 471 

ville circuit, Sangamon, Virginia, and Island Grove ; 
a very pleasant, convenient little district indeed. 

I had now been a traveling preacher for more than 
forty-nine years, and was sixty-eight years of age. I 
had been appointed presiding elder by Bishop As- 
bury, at the first Tennessee conference, held in Fount- 
ain Head, in the fiill of 1812, which is now forty- 
three years since ; and in all these forty-nine years of 
my life as a traveling preacher, I had never asked of 
the appointing power of the Church for any appoint- 
ment, nor for any accommodation in an appointment; 
and although some of my brethren have thought that 
I was greatly favored with accommodating appoint- 
ments, I here call upon all the bishops that have given 
me my appointments for more than fifty years to bear 
me witness that the appointments given me by them 
were unasked for by me. 

At this conference at Beardstown, in the fall of 
1853, for the first time in my life, I did ask to be ap- 
pointed to the Pleasant Plains district, if appointed 
to a district at all, but at the same time said I would 
greatly prefer a small circuit. Let Bishop Scott and 
his council bear witness in this matter. There was 
another strong reason, aside from my age and infirm- 
ities, that urged me to ask this accommodation; 
namely, that I might gain some time to write this 
sketch. But, alas ! leisure time to write seems to be 
almost out of the question with me ; I am appointed 
on so many conference committees, have to attend so 
many dedications of churches, to preach so many 
funeral sermons, besides all the important duties of the 
district, that leisure time with me is a very rare thing. 
And such have been my Church engagements, and 
such the length of time between the occasional hours 
or days devoted to this narrative, that when I have 



472 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

recommenced writing I had entirely forgotten what I 
had written last, especially the connection of subjects; 
and this has cost me a great deal of labor and loss of 
time ; hence if there are some repetitions, unconnected 
incohcrencies, I hope they will be regarded and in- 
spected with this motto : 

" That mercy I to others show, 
That mercy show to me." 

I think it about time now to return and say a few 
things about our General conference of 1852, which 
sat in Boston. When in Pittsburg, at the General 
conference of 1848, the New England brethren plead- 
ed hard for the General conference of 1852 to be 
appointed in Boston, they alleged that New England 
had never had a General conference. I observed to 
brother Crandall, and other New Englanders, rather 
jocosely, that, judging from the Yankees that I had 
seen out in the west, I was a little afraid to venture 
myself in the General conference among the Bos- 
tonians ; for almost all that I had seen in the west had 
assumed such high ground, professed such mighty edu- 
cational attainments, that we poor illiterate western 
backwoods preachers could hardly hold an intelli- 
gible conversation with them ; and that we were 
afraid to start any proposition whatever; and when 
we met them, we could only stand and look at them, 
and make ready to answer questions. 

To this brother Crandall pleasantly replied, " Why, 
sir, you have never seen a genuine Yankee in the 
west; those you have seen are runaways, or pretend- 
ers, or impostors ; they are an adulterated set of scape- 
gallows fellows ; but come to Boston, and we will 
show you a real live, green Yankee." 

a Yery well," said I, " we '11 go for Boston." 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 473 

When a number of the delegates from different 
conferences met in New York, on their way to Boston, 
we took the cars, a crowd of us together, and on our 
iron horse snorted toward the land of the Puritan 
metropolis, leaving the Empire City and State far 
behind. 

Just about the time we entered the limits of the 
state of Massachusetts, our conductor proclaimed a 
halt of ten minutes ; I dashed out without my hat ; I 
wanted water, and as I had no relish for being left by 
the cars, I ran and Avatered, and with a quick step 
returned, and took my seat. I discovered that a good 
many of the preachers were indulging in a hearty 
laugh, and, as I thought, at my expense. 

Said I, ^' Gentlemen, what are you laughing at?" 

One, somewhat composing his risibilities, answered, 

'^ How dare you enter the sacred, classic land of the 
Pilgrims bareheaded ?" 

" My dear sir," said I, '' God Almighty crowded 
me into the world bareheaded, and I think it no 
more harm to enter Massachusetts bareheaded than 
for the Lord to bring me into the world without 
a hat." 

There were several ladies sitting hard by, though I 
had not observed them ; they pulled down their vails, 
and chuckled over my speech for miles. When we 
got to Boston, I expected to see no one that I had 
ever seen but a few of the Methodist preachers that I 
had become acquainted with at the General con- 
ferences of former days; but I was very agreeably 
disappointed in this respect, and especially when I 
learned that Mr. Merrill, with whom I had formed a 
pleasant acquaintance at M'Kendree College, Illinois, 
some years past, was then living in Boston, and had 
petitioned for Dr. Akers and myself to board with 

40 



474 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Mm during General conference. This brother Mer- 
rill was the son of Rev. John A. Merrill, a fine old 
Methodist preacher of olden times, with whom I had 
been long acquainted, who had borne the glad tidings 
of the Gospel successfully to thousands ; witnessed a 
good confession, lived faithful, died happy, and has 
gone safe home to heaven. I found myself very 
agreeably situated in this kind and generous family. 
Brother Merrill was intelligent, easy, and pleasant in 
conversation. His friendly little wife was kind, 
courteous, and easy in her manners ; and her mother, 
a fine, intelligent old lady. All were easy, familiar, 
and agreeable. We were also favored with the com- 
pany of brother J. F. Jaquess, who was collecting 
books for the female college in Jacksonville. My 
fear was, that I would get into a family that were 
cold, stifi*, and distant in their manners. One of 
these formal, distant, ceremonious families was always 
a prison to me, a-nd well calculated to make me feel 
unhappy, and far from home; but it was otherwise 
here. 

The second Sabbath in Boston I was appointed to 
preach at Church-Street Church at eleven o'clock. I 
took for the text, Hebrews x, 22. We had a large 
congregation; several preachers present; and sup- 
posing that most of my congregation had hardly 
ever seen or heard of me, and that they were an 
educated people, and had been used to great preach- 
ing, I put on all the gravity that I well could com- 
mand; I tried to preach one of my best sermons, in a 
plain, grave, sober manner; and, although I never 
thought myself a great preacher, yet I really thought 
I had done very near my best that time. Well, when 
I came down from the pulpit, a brother preacher in- 
troduced me to several of the prominent members of 



PETEPw CART AY RIGHT. 475 

the congregation; and as I was introduced to them, 
they asked me very emphatically, 

"Is this Peter Cartwright, from Illinois, the old 
western pioneer?" 

I answered them, "Yes, I am the very man." 

"Well," said several of them, "brother, we are 
much disappointed; you have fallen very much under 
our expectations; we expected to hear a much greater 
sermon than that you preached to-day." 

"Well, brethren," said I, "how can it be helped? 
I did as well as I could, and was nearly at the top of 
my speed." 

I tell you this was cold encouragement; I felt great 
mortification; I hastened to my room and prayed 
over it awhile. That night they had appointed me to 
preach at North Russell-street. There was a full con- 
gregation, and a good many preachers present. I read 
for the text. Job xxii, 21. I had asked God for help; 
and when I took my text I determined to do my very 
best, and did so; but failed, as in the forenoon, to 
meet the expectations of the people. And as I came 
down into the altar I was again introduced to some 
of the brethren ; and although they did seem to doubt 
that I was Peter Cartwright from the west, the old 
pioneer, yet they, in cold blood, informed me that I 
had fallen under their expectations, and as good as 
told me that my sermon was a failure. Now, was not 
this too bad? I tell you they roused me, and pro- 
voked what little religious patience I had; and I 
rather tartly replied to one, that I could give people 
ideas, but I could not give them capacity to receive 
those ideas, and left them abruptly; and in very 
gloomy mood retreated to my lodgings, but took but 
little rest in sleep that night. I constantly asked my- 
self this question. Is it so, that I can not preach? or 



476 AUTOBIOGRAPUY OF 

what is tlie matter ? I underwent a tremendous cru- 
cifixion in feeling. 

The next day I told Dr. Cummings not to give me 
any other appointment in Boston during the General 
conference, " for," said I, " your people here have not 
got sense enough to know a good sermon when they 
hear it." 

The Sabbath following I spent in Lynn, and had 
good meetings ; then I went the next Sabbath to Fall 
River, and preached for brothers Allen and Upham, 
and had a pleasant time. Some time in the following- 
week, old brother Taylor came to me and told me I 
must preach at his church the next Sabbath, at the 
Bethel charge ; and said, Dr. Akers and brother J. F. 
Wright had both tried to preach in his church, and 
both failed; ^'and," said he, "you are the forlorn 
hope. If you flash, no other western preacher shall 
preach in my church any more during the General 
conference." 

Said I, "Brother Taylor, you need not think that 
any of us western men are anxious about preaching 
to you in Boston; your way of worship here is so 
diiferent from ours in the west, that we are confused. 
There 's your old wooden god, the organ, bellowing up 
in the gallery, and a few dandified singers lead in 
singing, and really do it all. The congregation 
won't sing, and when you pray, they sit down instead 
of kneeling. We do n't worship God in the west by 
proxy, or substitution. You need not give yourself 
any trouble about getting a western man to preach 
in your church; we do n't want to do it, and I do not 
think that I will try to preach in Boston any more, 
unless you would permit me to conduct the services 
after the western manner." 

Said brother Taylor to me, "Brother, you must 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 477 

preach to us at the Bethel; and," said he, "roll up 
your sleeves, and unbutton your collar, and give us a 
real western cut." 

My reply was this: "If you will let me regulate 
your congregation, and preach as we do in the west, 
I have no objection to preaching to your congrega- 
tion or any where in Boston.'' 

a Very well, at it you go," was his reply. 

In the mean time I had learned from different 
sources, that the grand reason of my falling under 
the expectations of the congregations that I had ad- 
dressed was substantially this : almost all those curi- 
ous incidents that had gained currency throughout 
the country, concerning Methodist preachers, had 
been located on me, and that when the congregations 
came to hear me, they expected little else but a bun- 
dle of eccentricities and singularities ; and when they 
did not realize, according to their anticipations, they 
were disappointed, and that this was the reason they 
were disappointed. So on Sabbath, when I came to 
the Bethel, we had a good congregation ; and after 
telling them that brother Taylor had given me the lib- 
erty to preach to them after the western fashion, I 
took my text Matthew xi, 12 ; and after a few com- 
monplace remarks, I commenced giving them some 
western anecdotes, which had a thrilling effect on the 
congregation, and excited them immoderately, I can 
not say religiously; but I thought if ever I saw ani- 
mal excitement, it was then and there. This broke 
the charm. During my stay after this, I could pass 
any where for Peter Cartwright, the old pioneer of the 
west. I am not sure that after this I fell under the 
expectations of my congregations among them. 

I will say that a more generous, hospitable, and 
social people I never found any where than in Boston. 



478 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

Their sociability and friendly greetings reminded me 
more of our western manners than any thing I ever 
found among total strangers, and many of them are 
sincere, devout Christians ; but their mode of worship 
I do most solemnly object to, so far as their pews, 
promiscuous sittings, and instrumental music are con- 
cerned. The salaries of their organists and choirs are 
expenses unjustified by the word of God. I also take 
exceptions, in many instances, to the moral character 
of the persons employed in these departments. The 
evils that result from mixed sittings of male and fe- 
male, which are always attendant on the pew system, 
are neither few nor small. The choir practice de- 
stroys congregational singing almost entirely, and has 
introduced the awkward and irreverent practice 
among congregations of turning their backs on the 
sacred desk, and facing about to the choir, and this 
whole system has a tendency to destroy the humble 
practice of kneeling in time of prayer, and contrib- 
utes largely to the Church-dishonoring practice of 
sitting while the prayers of the Church are offered up 
to God. I shall not attempt a labored argument here 
against these evils, for I suppose where these practices 
have become the order of the day, it would be exceed- 
ingly hard to overcome the prejudice in favor of them, 
though I am sure, from every observation that I have 
been able to make, that their tendencies are to for- 
mality, and often engender pride, and destroy the spir- 
ituality of Divine worship; it gives precedence to the 
rich, proud, and fashionable part of our hearers, and 
unavoidably blocks up the way of the poor; and no 
stumbling-block should be put in the way of one of 
these little ones that believe in Christ. 

I found the Bostonians to be a liberal people in 
their contributions for benevolent purposes. It fell 



PETER CARTWRiaHT. 479 

to my lot to be a solicitor for pecuniary aid to erect 
a church in Warsaw, Quincy district, Illinois confer- 
ence, and the members of the General conference and 
citizens of Boston gave me several hundred dollars 
for that object. 

I will close this chapter by saying that the General 
conference that sat in Boston, in 1852, was the tenth 
General conference which I attended, or was elected to. 
These General conferences had sat in Cincinnati, Pitts- 
burg, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York; and 
though we were treated very friendly in all these 
cities, yet the General conference in Boston was more 
highly honored by all classes of citizens than any 
that I ever attended; and, sure enough, to use the 
trite saying of brother Crandall, I found live, green 
Yankees by the thousands, and some of them very 
talented, and most of them well educated ; the poor 
among them are cared for, the children are gathered 
up in all directions and sent to school; but, after all, 
it would make a western man laugh, in spite of his 
gravity, to hear a New Englander talk of his great 
farm, containing all of two acres, and hear him tell 
how much it cost him to remove the stone off the 
farm, how much to manure it, how much to cultivate 
it; then the sowing of the products, the marketing of 
it, and the real product in cash. They will really 
talk scientifically about it. I could not but think of 
the contrast, for we have some farmers in Illinois that 
have from one to five thousand acres in their farms, 
in active, actual, productive, profitable cultivation. 
Hail, Boston ! live forever ! 



480 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



CHAPTER XXX. 

GENERAL CONFERENCE IN BOSTON, 

The General conference of 1852 was held in Bos- 
ton. Our old beloved Bishop Hedding had just died 
and left us. From the precarious state of Bishop 
Hamline's health, and despairing of a recovery, he ten- 
dered to the General conference his resignation of the 
office of bishop, to which we had elected him in 1844, 
and we accepted his resignation, and, as we have else- 
where said, we had but three bishops left. Brothers 
Waugh and Morris were getting pretty well advanced 
in life, and Bishop Janes, though in the prime of life, 
was failing from his excessive labors. Our Church 
was extending throughout this vast continent, and in 
Liberia, Germany, South America, and other different 
and distant nations ; and as our Discipline very prop- 
erly provides that our bishops should travel at large 
throughout the connection, it was clearly seen that 
we must strengthen the episcopacy by electing a suf- 
ficient number to visit, personally, all parts of our 
widely-extending connection. Accordingly, a resolu- 
tion was adopted with great unanimity, that we elect 
four additional bishops ; and after exchanging and in- 
terchanging our opinions and views concerning the 
men proper to be set apart to this office, it was de- 
clared, with great unanimity, that brothers Scott, 
Simpson, Baker, and Ames be elected. 

A difficulty had taken place in the Ohio confer- 
ence concerning a pewed church. One of our good 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 481 

preacliers, in aiding and defending those brethren that 
were in favor of the pew system, had been considered 
guilty of imprudence, and the Ohio conference passed 
a vote of censure on this brother, and from this he 
appealed to the General conference. The debates on 
this appeal brought on the controversy on the subject 
of pews. The General conference cleared this broth- 
er from the censure. Then followed sundry motions 
to change the Discipline on the subject of pewed 
churches ; and, finally, our old, well-tried rule was 
changed to what it is in our Discipline now. This 
was a real Yankee triumph. However, many of the 
members of the General conference voted for this 
change, hoping to stop one source of Church litiga- 
tion hereafter, and they may so far succeed as to pre- 
vent any future appeals to the General conference; 
but they have, at the same time, opened a thousand 
doors for strife and contention, in all cases where there 
is any considerable division or difference of opinion 
on the subject in our societies. The pew system is 
inevitably at war with the best interests of the 
Church, for no honorable, high-minded man, who is 
poor, and unable to buy or rent a pew, but will feel 
himself degraded to intrude himself into a pewed 
church; and that form of worship adopted in any 
Church which goes to exclude the poor, contravenes 
the Divine law, and prevents the realization of that 
blessedness that God has provided for the poor. Fifty 
years ago there was not a member or preacher among 
the thousands in the Methodist Episcopal Church 
that thought of having a pewed church. But since 
the Church has risen in numerical strength, and be- 
come wealthy, this system of pewed churches is fast 
becoming the order of the day. The pew system 
must necessarily be extremely offensive to the Lord's 

41 



482 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

poor, and we should all remember the words of Jesus 
Christ, that it were better that a millstone were 
hann-ed about our necks, and we drowned in the 
depth of the sea, than that we should offend one of 
those little ones that believe on him. For my own 
part, I always feel embarrassed when, as a stranger, I 
enter a pewed church, and how mortifying it is to be 
directed by the sexton to some back, dirty, or dingy 
seat, and I involuntarily ask, "Are ye not partial?" 
Leaving the pew system for future adjudication of the 
Church, we sincerely hope that its evils will, with the 
pious, work its entire overthrow, and the restoration 
of free seats in all the churches, which so admirably 
agrees with a free Gospel. 

I hope, if I make a few remarks right here on 
the speculations published not long since in the 
National Magazine, by its talented editor, on the 
qualifications of the bishops of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, it will not be considered the unpardon- 
able sin. Brother Stevens seems to think that our 
present bishops, at least some of them, have talents 
of too high a grade to be buried in the unimportant 
and comparatively small official duties of their office, 
and that it would be better to select men of less use- 
ful, business talents to perform the small duties of a 
bishop, reserving those men of a high grade of talent 
for more important business matters or interests of the 
Church. I must confess that the position my respect- 
ed brother takes took me rather by surprise, but my 
surprise was not so much at the talented editor of the 
National taking this position, as at the position itself; 
but then, why should I be surprised at any position 
taken in this educational, advanced age of the world, 
seeing that I am an old dispensationist, and fifty years 
behind the times ? I have been acquainted personally 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 483 

with every bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church — 
save Dr. Coke — from her commencement to the pres- 
ent, and though I have awarded to all of our bishops 
a high grade of talent, yet it never entered my mind 
for the first time that any of them had any talents to 
spare, or that were not necessary to be brought into 
requisition to superintend all the important interests 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. When I consider 
the responsible duties of a bishop in our Church, to 
constantly travel at large throughout the entire bounds 
of our ministerial fields of labor, to oversee the tem- 
poral and spiritual interests of the whole Church, to 
assign, from year to year, the thousands of traveling 
preachers to their most appropriate fields of labor, 
and many other important duties too tedious to enu- 
merate in this connection, I must frankly say I have 
never had the first spasm or fear of getting men of too 
high a grade of talent, yea, of business talent, to per- 
form the functions of their ofiice with credit to them- 
selves and promotion of the best interests of the 
Church of God. Moreover, though I may not admire 
the manner of these speculations of my beloved and 
talented editor, yet, should they tend to check the 
high aspirations of disappointed expectants, some 
good may result. 

It is a trite saying, that revolutions never go back- 
ward ; but if the speculations of my brother are not 
driving things backward, then I must be very much 
in the dark. But the theory we have just noticed 
very forcibly reminds me of what is alleged to be 
the custom of the members of the EstabHshed Church 
of England, namely : If parents have a smart and 
promising son, or sons, he, or they, are selected for 
the bar, or for the medical department, or some other 
prominent position, and they are educated accord- 



484 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

ingly; but if they have a stupid boy, that promises 
very little usefulness to the world, or at least promises 
to shine not very brilliantly, he is immediately desig- 
nated for the ministry, for then he can be supported 
by the state, and not by his acceptable and useful 
talents. 0, what a reproach to the Gospel of the Son 
of God, and what a w^ithering curse to the Church! 

At our conference at Beardstown, October 12th, 
1853, as I have already said, I was appointed to 
Pleasant Plains district, and bade an affectionate 
adieu to Quincy district. I do not know that I was 
ever appointed to any field of labor that I felt more 
attached to than I did to the Quincy district, and 
should hare been glad to have spent at least two 
years more; but the best of friends in this life must 
part ; we part, however, with a blessed hope of meet- 
ing in another and better world. I hardly ever left 
a field of ministerial labor but I felt sorrowful, and 
indulged in very gloomy reflections. Here are hun- 
dreds of my best earthly friends, whom I have lived 
and labored with in great peace and harmony; we 
have preached and prayed together ; often been 
happy and shouted the high praises of God together, 
many of whom are my spiritual children that God 
has given me. We have labored and suffered to- 
gether, but now, for the last time, we splice hands, 
and bid each other finally farewell, till we meet in 
the general resurrection. When I remember how 
swift time flies, and how soon God will call his suffer- 
ing children home, then and there let us meet, where 
painful separations forever cease. 

Before I close this feeble sketch of my long life, I 
wish to give a very brief sketch of a few of my fellow- 
laborers who suffered long and endured much in 
spreading Methodism in these western wilds, and 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 485 

thereby rescue from oblivion their names and worthy 
deeds, that generations to come may know their in- 
debtedness to the early pioneer Methodist preachers, 
for the moral order in a great and good degree that pre- 
vails in the vast regions of the west. Whatever may 
be jnstly attributed to education and other instru- 
mentalities, the present, as well as future generations, 
owe, and will owe, a debt of gratitude to the indom- 
itable courage and pious labor of early suffering 
Methodist preachers for the great and good order of 
this vast wilderness. When they entered it as 
preachers of the Gospel, very few ministers of any 
other denomination would brook the hardships and 
undergo the privations that must necessarily be en- 
dured in preaching the Gospel in these sparsely-popu- 
lated and frontier regions. But hardly had the early 
emigrant pitched his tent, raised his temporary camp, 
or log-cabin, when the early Methodist traveling 
preachers were there to preach to them the unsearch- 
able riches of Christ; and how many thousands who 
had withstood the offers of life in the old settlements 
or states, have been followed into the wilderness by 
these early Methodist preachers and won over to 
Christ! Many ministers of other Churches waited 
till flourishing towns, villages, and populous settle- 
ments had formed and improved the country, and 
could give them a good fat salary; and then they 
came and entered into the labors of these old pio- 
neers. People, unacquainted with frontier life, and 
especially frontier life fifty or sixty years ago, can form 
but a very imperfect idea of the sufferings and hard- 
ships the early settlers of these western states under- 
went at that day, when Methodist preachers went 
from fort to fort, from camp to camp, from tent to 
tent, from cabin to cabin, with or without road or 



486 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

path. We walked on dirt floors for carpets, sat on 
stools or benches for chairs, ate on puncheon tables, 
had forked sticks and pocket, or butcher knives, for 
knives and forks, slept on bear, deer, or buffalo skins 
before the fire, or sometimes on the ground in open 
air for downy beds, had our saddles, or saddle-bags 
for pillows instead of pillows of feathers, and one new 
suit of clothes of homespun was ample clothing for 
one year for an early Methodist preacher in the 
west. 

We crossed creeks and large rivers without bridges 
or ferry-boats, often swam them on horseback, or 
crossed on trees that had fallen over the streams, 
drove our horses over, and often waded out waist 
deep ; and if by chance we got a dug-out, or canoe, to 
cross in ourselves, and swim our horses by, it was 
quite a treat. 

0, ye downy doctors and learned presidents and 
professors, heads of the Methodist literature of the 
present day, remember the above course of training 
was the colleges in which we early Methodist preach- 
ers graduated, and from which we took our diplomas! 
Here we solved our mathematical problems, declined 
our nouns and conjugated our verbs, parsed our 
sentences, and became proficient in the dead lan- 
guages of the Indian and backwoods dialect. 

Suppose these illiterate early Methodist preachers 
had held back, or waited for a better education, or 
for these educational times, where would the Method- 
ist Church have been to-day in this vast valley of 
the Mississippi? Suppose the thousands of fearly set- 
tlers and scores of early Methodist preachers, by some 
Providential intervention, had blundered on a Biblical 
institute, or a theological factory, where they dress 
up little pedantic things they call preachers; sup- 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 487 

pose ye we would have known them from a ram's 
horn? Surely not. 

Jesse Walker, known to thousands in Illinois, Mis- 
souri, Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky, was a native 
of Virginia. His age has gone from my recollec- 
tion. His commencement as a preacher was in the 
local order, and as such he moved to West Tennessee. 
This was about the time of the great Cumberland 
revival ; and though he had a very limited education, 
and his preaching powers were not very profound, yet 
he could preach a plain, practical sermon ; and he was 
a powerful exhorter. 

In the fall of 1803 brother Walker was received 
on trial in the traveling connection, in the Western 
conference, and appointed to travel the Red River 
circuit, in Cumberland district; John Page was his 
presiding elder. He was this year blessed with glo- 
rious revivals, and received a great many into the 
Church. In 1804 he was appointed to the Livingston 
circuit. This was a new field of labor which I had 
formed the year before under the elder. Here his 
family was greatly afflicted, and he lost by death two 
of his children; but brother Walker's labors were 
greatly blessed, and many seals were added to his 
ministry. 

In 1805 he remained on the same circuit with 
Hartford circuit attached to it. His labors this year 
were greatly blessed. A great number were convert- 
ed and joined the Church. In 1806 brother Walker 
was appointed to Hartford circuit; this was also a 
prosperous year in many additions to the Church. 
In 1807 he was appointed to the Illinois circuit, for 
it will be seen that the Illinois and Missouri states 
both belonged to Cumberland district. Here he 
entered the prairie wilderness, and spent a successful 



488 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

year on that circuit. In 1808 he was appointed to 
Missouri, still further in the wilderness of the west; 
as usual, he had several revivals. In 1809 a new dis- 
trict was formed, called Indiana district, embracing 
Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri states, and J. Walker 
was appointed to Illinois circuit. In 1810 and 1811 
he was appointed to, and traveled with acceptability 
and usefulness, the Cape Girardeau circuit, in Mis- 
souri. In the fall of 1811 the name of the Indiana 
was changed to Illinois district, S. Parker presiding 
elder; and in 1812 brother Walker was appointed to 
the Illinois circuit again. 

It should be recollected that in 1812 the General 
conference sat in New York ; this was the first dele- 
gated General conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. At this General conference the Western 
conference was divided into two, called Ohio and 
Tennessee conferences. In 1815 the Missouri dis- 
trict was formed; and in 1817 he was appointed to 
that district. Right here it should be remembered 
that the General conference which sat in Baltimore, 
May 1, 1816, divided the Tennessee conference, 
and formed a Missouri conference. The Missouri 
conference was composed of two presiding-elder 
districts, namely, Illinois and Missouri, though it 
embraced four states, namely: Arkansas, Missouri, 
Illinois, and Indiana. The Missouri district covered 
two states west of the Mississippi, Arkansas and Mis- 
souri. The Illinois district covered the states of 
Illinois and Indiana. These four states were all fron- 
tier ground; desperate, long, lonesome rides, and 
little or no support for preachers or presiding elders ; 
and if our districts were as large and hard to travel 
now as then, we should not have as many young 
aspiring expectants for that office as abound in our 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 489 

conferences. In 1818 and 1819 he carried success- 
fully the Gospel to thousands of the scattered frontier 
settlers in Missouri and Arkansas, and many in the 
day of judgment from those poor frontier regions will 
rise lip and call him blessed. 

I think it was in the fall of 1819 our beloved old 
brother Walker, who had traveled all his life, or 
nearly so, came over to our Tennessee conference, 
wdiich sat in Nashville, to see us; but, 0! how 
weather-beaten and war-worn was he ; almost, if not 
altogether, without decent apparel to appear among 
us. We soon made a collection, and had him a 
decent suit of clothes to put on; and never shall I 
forget the blushing modesty and thankfulness with 
which he accepted that suit, and never did I and 
others have a stronger verification of our Lord's 
words, " That it is more blessed to give than to re- 
ceive." In 1820 he was appointed Conference Mis- 
sionary, and sustained the relation of missionary to 
the Missouri conference from 1821 to 1824. 

He was instructed, in 1824, to pay attention to the 
Indians in the bounds of Missouri. During: these 
years of extensive missionary travel, he visited St. 
Louis, which was almost wholly given to Romish 
idolatry. There was no Methodist society or church 
in the city, and perhaps no Protestant church in the 
place. It had been settled from an early day with 
French Catholics. In his visit to this place he saw 
its deplorable moral condition, and resolved to seek a 
way to carry the Gospel to its perishing thousands. 
But how was he to do it? and how was he to be 
supported while doing it? Means of support he had 
none. He made it a matter of prayer, and asked aid 
of God. Accordingly, he made his stand in the city, 
and took up a day school of A, B, C scholars, by 



490 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

which he supported hhnself, and all he made over he 
applied to the erection of a small church, which, if 
my memory is not at fault, was the first Protestant 
house of worship in the city. God did not despise 
the day of small things, but crowned his efforts with 
signal success, so much so, that he not only succeeded 
in building a church, but gathered a congregation in 
it, and raised a Methodist society which remains to 
this day; and Methodism has spread through the 
city, so that there are many charges, and a good many 
splendid churches erected, and several thousand mem- 
bers in the different branches of Methodism. 

In 1824 the Missouri conference was divided 
by the General conference, which sat in Baltimore. 
The Illinois conference was organized. Brother 
Walker was appointed missionary to the settlements 
between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, and 
to the Indians in the vicinity of Fort Clark — now 
Peoria. He traveled extensively, and preached 
through this entire new country, raised several socie- 
ties, one at Fort Clark, penetrated into the Indian 
country, visited their chiefs, made known his wishes 
to establish missions and schools among them, and 
met a friendly reception by their chief men, espe- 
cially among the Pottawattomies ; and in 1826 he was 
appointed missionary to that tribe of Indians. He 
was continued in this mission in 1827 and 1828, and 
having obtained a grant from the Indians to a section 
of land, he built houses, opened a farm, preached to 
the Indians through an interpreter, established a 
school, and had some prosperity; and had it not been 
for the corrupting influences of white men, in selling 
whisky to the Indians, and corrupt white men that 
cheated the Indians out of their annuities, there is no 
doubt but these Indians would have become civilized 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 491 

and Christianized. What a fearful account these 
unprincipled white men will have to render at the 
judgment for the demoralization and destruction of 
the Indians ! I thank God, during my superintendence 
of this mission, while brother Walker was missionary 
among them, we had the pleasure of seeing the hopeful 
conversion of several of them, and of baptizing them, 
and receiving them into the visible Church of Christ. 

In 1828 brother Walker was succeeded in the 
mission by brother Isaac Scarritt, and was sent to 
the Peoria circuit, where he labored with his accus- 
tomed usefulness and acceptability. In 1829 he was 
returned to the mission among the Pottawattomies, 
which was located on Fox river, about twenty miles 
from Ottawa, where it empties into the Illinois river. 
In the mean time the Government had bought out the 
Indian claim; and although the Church had spent 
some thousands of dollars in its establishment, we lost 
it. The mission premises were reserved for one of 
the half breeds, and brother Walker was, in 1830, ap- 
pointed to Chicago mission, where he succeeded in 
planting Methodism in this then infant city. In 
1831 he was appointed to the Des Plains mission, 
and organized many small societies in that young and 
rising country. 

In 1832 there was a Chicago district formed, of 
mostly missionary ground. Brother Walker was super- 
intendent of this missionary district, and missionary 
to Chicago town ; and although he was well stricken 
in years, and well-nigh worn out, having spent a 
comparatively long life on the frontiers, yet the old 
man had the respect and confidence of the whole 
community; and in 1833 was continued in the Chi- 
cago missionary station. This year closed his active 
itinerant life. He had done effective and efficient 



492 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 0^ 

service as a trareling preacher for more than thirty 
years, and had lived poor and suffered much; had 
won thousands of souls over to Christ, and built up 
and firmly planted Methodism for thousands of miles 
on our frontier border. 

In 1834 he asked for and obtained a superannuated 
relation, in which relation he lived till the 5th of 
October, 1835, and then, being at peace with God 
and all mankind, and having fought a good fight, and 
finished his course, and kept the faith, he was ready 
for the messenger, and left the world in holy triumph ; 
and his redeemed spirit rose triumphantly, and entered 
heaven, to be hailed and welcomed home by the thou- 
sands to whom, in the Divine economy, he had been 
the honored instrument of salvation; and I hope 
to meet him in heaven before very long. He was 
the first minister who, by the authority of the Method- 
ist Church, gave me my first permit to exhort. We 
have fought side by side for many years ; we have 
suffered hunger and want together; we have often 
wept, and prayed, and preached together; I hope we 
shall sing and shout together in heaven. Peace to 
his memory! 

Samuel H. Thompson was born in Westmoreland 
county, Pennsylvania, March 16, 1786. He had a 
pious mother, who very diligently instructed young 
Samuel in the general principles of our holy religion, 
according to the Calvinistic views of the Presbyterian 
Church, for which Church through life he entertained 
a high regard, though he repudiated the Calvinistic 
doctrines. He received a good common English edu- 
cation for that early day, and was considered an honor- 
able, high-minded young man. In his eighteenth year 
he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, as a seeker 



PETER CARTWRiaHT. 493 

of religion. For two years he sought an experimental 
knowledge of the forgiveness of his sins; and while 
engaged in secret prayer, a peaceful answer was 
granted to him, though not such an evidence of par- 
don as he desired ; but shortly afterward, during 
family prayer, he obtained a clear evidence of the 
regeneration of his fallen nature, and immediately 
commenced exhorting his associates to seek God, 
and was licensed to preach. In the fall of 1810 he 
was received on trial as a traveling preacher, in the 
Western conference, held at Cincinnati, which was 
then the only conference west of the mountains. He 
was appointed to the Whitewater circuit, Indiana 
district, Ohio. Here young Thompson was received 
kindly, and preached successfully. In 1811 he was 
appointed to the JSTolliechuckie circuit, in East Ten- 
nessee; in 1812, to Clinch River circuit. In both 
these circuits he labored zealously, and was useful. 
In the fall of 1812 he w^as ordained a deacon. At 
the division of the Western conference he fell into 
the Tennessee part, and in 1813 was appointed to the 
Knoxville circuit, where his labors were greatly 
blessed. In 1814 he was appointed to Christian cir- 
cuit, and there were in this circuit added to his minis- 
try many seals. 

In the fall of 1814 he was ordained an elder, and 
in 1815 he was appointed presiding elder of the Mis- 
souri district. He remained on this district in 1816. 
Vast was the frontier country that brother Thompson 
explored on this district ; and he successfully planted 
the standard of the Gospel and of Methodism in 
many log-cabins and frontier settlements, and won 
many laurels for his Master in this wilderness of the 
west, and the Lord gave him many souls for his hire. 

At the General conference of 1816 the Missouri 



494 AUTOBIOGKAPHY OF 

conference was stricken off from the Tennessee con- 
ference; and in 1817 he was appointed to the Illinois 
district, which covered almost all the inhabited parts 
of the state of Illinois and southern Indiana. He 
remained on this large district two years, and was 
aggressive in all his ministerial labors, organizing 
many societies in this new and rising country. In 
1819 he was appointed to Shoal Creek and Illinois 
circuits, joined together, where his labors were greatly 
blessed. Money was scarce through all this western 
country, but brother Thompson suffered on, through 
penury and want. In the mean time he had married, 
and had a young and growing family to provide for. 
In 1820 he remained on the Illinois circuit, and was 
instrumental in greatly building up the Church. In 
1821 brother Thompson was again placed on the 
Missouri district as presiding elder, where he re- 
mained two years, still laboring and suffering for 
his Master, and planting Methodism in many new 
settlements, and many claimed him as the honored 
instrument of their salvation; and many were the 
thrilling shouts of new-born souls brought into the 
liberty of the Gospel on the tented camp-ground, 
as well as from the log-cabin. From 1823 to 1826 
brother Thompson was stationed on the Illinois dis- 
trict, Illinois conference, which covered more than 
two-thirds of the geographical boundaries of the 
state; but with unfaltering steps he traveled night 
and day, seldom missing his appointments, through 
cold and heat, floods or snow-storms. His labors 
were greatly blessed, and there is very little doubt 
that he was the most popular and useful preacher in 
the state. Hundreds, if not thousands, from the Illi- 
nois district, in the great day of judgment will hail 
our beloved brother, and call him blessed. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 495 

From the hard fields of labor occupied by brother 
Thompson, his poor fare, the privations he underwent, 
and his extraordinary zealous pulpit labors, the very 
many hardships and suiferings he endured incident 
to a new country, his fine constitution began to give 
way, and he found it necessary to relax his efforts in 
some degree. Accordingly, he asked for and obtain- 
ed a supernumerary relation, and in that relation, in 
1827, he was appointed to the Illinois circuit, where 
his labors were fully equal to his strength. In 1828 
he was continued on the same circuit, and in 1829, 
having recovered his health a little, he was made 
effective, and appointed to the Shoal Creek circuit. 
The Lord gave him a prosperous year, and made him 
a blessing to many souls. In 1830 there was a new 
district formed, called the Kaskaskia district, and 
brother Thompson was appointed presiding elder. 
He traveled this district in 1831 and 1832, abundant 
in labors and usefulness. In 1833 he was appointed 
traveling agent for the Lebanon Seminary, and ac- 
quitted himself honorably. In 1834 he was appointed 
to the Lebanon circuit, and although he had preach- 
ed for many years to the most of his congregations, 
yet the Church hailed him as a brother beloved, and 
his ministry was profitable, and he proved a blessing 
to many. In 1835 brother Thompson sustained a su- 
perannuated relation to the conference, and the rest 
from his energetic labors this year gave him some in- 
crease of strength, and he wanted to spend that 
strength in doing good, and his relation in 1836 was 
changed to supernumerary, and he was appointed to 
Alton station. He was this year only partial in his 
labors ; his constitution was fast giving way. Accord- 
ingly, in 1837 he sustained a superannuated relation 
again. But his soul was restless when out of his 



496 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

field of ministerial work; accordingly, in 1838 he 
asked to be made effective, but the conference gave 
him a supernumerary relation, and he was appointed 
to labor in the towns of Vandalia and Hillsboro; 
in 1839 he was again appointed to Alton City sta- 
tion, as supernumerary; in 1840 he was appointed to 
labor in the Belleville station, where he labored but 
little. His physical powers evidently were fast 
giving way, and in 1841 he was placed in a super- 
annuated relation, which relation he continued to sus- 
tain till his redeemed spirit returned to God who 
gave it, which happened on the 19th of March, 1842. 
Brother Thompson labored hard, and suffered much, 
for more than thirty years. His field of labor for 
those years embraced large portions of Ohio, Indiana, 
Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas 
states, much of which was new and on the outskirts 
of civilization, destitute of means of comfortable sup- 
port. In these respects his zeal, like a quenchless fire, 
urged him on night and day, over desert wastes, tow- 
ering mountains, rapid rivers. He often suffered 
hunger and almost nakedness in quest of lost and 
wandering sinners to bring them back to God, and 
thousands now in heaven will praise God forever that 
this self-sacrificing Methodist preacher taught them 
the way to life in their mud hovels and smoky cabins. 
The last year of his eventful life his health almost 
entirely gave way, and while confined to his bed, 
from which he never rose, such was his ardent thirst 
for the salvation of souls, that he requested to call in 
the neighbors, and to be propped up in his bed, and 
to preach one more sermon to them before he left for 
heaven. His desire was granted; the room was 
crowded, and such a sermon hardly ever fell from 
the lips of mortal man. The power of God fell ou 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 497 

the congregation; they wept aloud, and fell in every 
direction, and many will date their start for heaven 
to that sermon. And now, having delivered his last 
message, he said, "My work is done, and I am ready 
to go at my Master's bidding." 

During the few lingering moments that he remain- 
ed he gave unmistakable evidence that he was at 
peace with God, and all mankind, and that he had a 
complete victory over the fear of death. He contin- 
ued in this heavenly frame of mind till he sweetly 
fell asleep in the arms of Jesus, and quietly breathed 
his last and went up to glory. Brother Thompson 
was a gentleman as well as Christian. He was faith- 
ful in the administration of the Discipline of the 
Church ; very firm, but mild. He was courteous in 
manner, had a nice regard to feelings, but remarka- 
ably faithful in reproving whatever he thought wrong 
in saint and sinner. He had but few personal enemies; 
his soul breathed the true spirit of Christian kindness 
and love. He has left behind him thousands that 
claim him as the honored instrument in their conver- 
sion, and if they are faithful I have no doubt will 
meet him in heaven with shouts of victory forever 
and ever. 

John Dew was born on the 19th of July, 1789, in 
the state of Virginia. In the days of his youth he 
embraced religion, and joined the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, of which he remained a worthy member 
during life, and being deeply impressed that it was 
his duty to preach the Gospel, he was recommended 
by his class, and obtained license to preach as a local 
preacher, and then joined the traveling connection ii». 
the Ohio conference. In 1813 he was appointed to 
the Salt River circuit, in Kentucky, and was blessed 



498 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

with success. The first year of his itinerancy, 1814, 
he was appointed to the Jefferson circuit, and labor- 
ed with acceptability and usefulness to the Church. 
In 1815 he traveled the Madison circuit; here he 
gave good proof of his call to the ministry, and the 
Lord owned and blessed his labors. In 1816 he 
traveled the Guyandotte circuit, and had seals to his 
ministry. This fall he located, and remained local for 
eight years, but was an industrious and useful local 
preacher, and was the means of doing much good in 
several parts that he visited. He preached with 
great acceptability in the southern part of Kentucky 
and the Illinois state. 

In the fall of 1824 brother Dew was readmitted 
into the traveling connection in the Illinois conference, 
and he was appointed to travel the Illinois circuit. 
Here he labored faithfully, and did good. In 1825 
he was continued on the same circuit, and at the 
close of this year was transferred to the Missouri 
conference, and appointed presiding elder of the 
Missouri district. In 1827 he was stationed in St. 
Louis city. In 1828 he was transferred back again to 
Illinois conference, and appointed superintendent and 
conference collector for the Pottawattomie mission on 
Eox river. He was active, vigilant, and useful in 
this field of labor. In 1829 brother Dew was ap- 
pointed to the Galena station, in the extreme north- 
west corner of the Illinois state, at least four hundred 
miles from home ; and such was the poverty of the 
country at that time, for it was new and just in its 
forming state, that he provided for his family where 
they were, and spent most of this year almost entirely 
from home. His labors were blessed in this new 
field of toil, and he was instrumental in planting 
Methodism firmly there. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 499 

In 1830 he was appointed to the Lebanon circuit, 
and he acquitted himself as an able and useful min- 
ister of the Lord Jesus Christ ; edified and built up 
the Church greatly. In 1831 he was appointed to 
Shoal Creek circuit, with our beloved Bishop Ames, 
and long will he live in the recollection and Christian 
remembrance of the Methodists of Shoal Creek circuit. 
In 1832 he was again appointed to the Lebanon 
circuit, and though he had labored long and preached 
much to that people, yet they received him as a mes- 
senger from God and a brother beloved, and he was 
useful. 

In 1833 he was appointed to the Kaskaskia circuit, 
where he was the instrument of great good, and souls 
were converted to God. Brother Dew was continued 
on this circuit in 1834. From the hard fields of 
labor that he had occupied, and the little support he 
had received, with a young and growing family, in 
1835 he located, to gather means of support, and to 
enable him to re-enter the itinerant field, for his soul 
was filled with holy fire, and he longed to spread the 
news of salvation from pole to pole. 

In 1836 he was appointed President of M'Kendree 
College; and in 1837-38 he was readmitted into the 
traveling connection, and appointed to the Carlyle 
district as presiding elder. In 1839 he was appointed 
to the Lebanon district, where he finished his 
useful life, after an illness of about two weeks. On 
the 5th of September, 1840, he left these mortal 
shores for a better world, relying confidently on the 
goodness and mercy of God for his salvation. He 
left an amiable wife and seven children, and an ex- 
tensive acquaintance and circle of devoted friends to 
lament their loss. 

Brother Dew had a fine order of talent as a 



500 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

preacher, was a strong theological debater, had a 
clear and sound mind, and was well qualified to de- 
fend the doctrines of the Bible against infidelity, and 
the doctrines of Methodism against all sectarian 
assailants. He was popular and useful as a preacher, 
labored hard, suffered much in spreading the Gos- 
pel, lived beloved, and died lamented by thousands ; 
but his end was peace, and he has gone safe home to 
heaven, to reap his eternal reward. 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 501 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

GENERAL CONFERENCE IN INDIANAPOLIS. 

In October, 1854, our Illinois annual conference 
was held in Springfield, the seat of government, and 
I was reappointed to the Pleasant Plains district. 
This was a year of general peace, and some prosperity 
to the Church. I think we numbered about four 
hundred conversions in the district this year ; and 
nearly that number of accessions in the membership 
of the Church. In October, 1855, our annual confer- 
ence was held in Paris, on the eastern side of the 
state, and I was returned for the third year on the 
Pleasant Plains district, which was now enlarged 
from seven to ten circuits and stations. Our districts 
in all the western world are very difi"erent from down 
east and north-east. There they have from thirty to 
forty appointments in one presiding elder's district ; 
most of their quarterly meetings are held on week- 
days or evenings, not embracing a Sabbath. The 
presiding elder goes round mostly to preside in trials 
of complaints or appeals, and as a kind of fiscal agent. 
Thus, no matter how talented he may be, his labors 
and usefulness as a preacher are thrown into the 
shade of comparative obscurity ; and by the anti- 
Methodistic usages of these large districts the pre- 
siding elder's office is not appreciated, nor can it be 
on this plan ; hence the hue and cry against the 
office. In the vast west there is a Sabbath embraced 
in every quarterly meeting appointment, and a pre- 



502 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OP 

siding elder's services are properly appreciated; and 
if these northern innovators would go back to the old 
landmarks of itinerancy, and not make so many little 
pop-gun, forty-dollar stations, the usefulness of pre- 
siding elders would now be as it was in the palmy, 
prosperous days of olden times. No wonder preach- 
ers and people complain under the circumstances ; 
the regular work is cut up into so many little and 
comparatively unimportant stations, and so poor 
withal, that the support of the ministry is fast becom- 
ing burdensome. Go back to old Methodist preacher 
usages ; let every quarterly meeting embrace a Sabbath, 
and then the old itinerant missionary will work well ; 
but persist in cutting up the work, and making little 
stations, then appeal to the cupidity of these small 
fields of labor, and you may expect the table of the 
General conference to groan under the petitions of 
the oppressed, to change the office of presiding elder, 
till Congregationalism is the order of the day. 

This annual conference was the fiftieth that I w^as 
entitled to a seat in, and during a half a century I had 
never missed attending but one of our annual sessions, 
and I missed this one by sickness. At this conference 
we elected our delegates to attend the twelth dele- 
gated General conference, which sat in Indianapolis, 
May 1, 1856. I was elected among five other dele- 
gates, and this made the eleventh time I was 
elected to represent the interests of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church in that body. 

There were over two hundred and twenty delegates 
in this General conference, from California and Ore- 
gon, and all parts of the United States and territories. 
We had also delegates from the Wesleyan Methodists 
in England, and from Canada ; also from Ireland ; 
brother Jacoby, from Germany, was also present. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 608 

From tlie unhappy political agitations of our coun- 
try, we had anticipated troublous times in the 
General conference, especially on the subject of 
American slavery. Many of our preachers who were 
strongly opposed to slavery, had suffered themselves 
to become too much excited by designing demagogues 
Now, it ought to be distinctly understood by all the 
people, and especially by Methodist preachers, that 
these demagogues care very little about human liberty, 
or the freedom of the poor downtrodden African. 
No ; they are after the loaves and fishes, or the spoils 
of ofiice ; and while they are riveting the chains of 
the poor negro ten times tighter than ever before, 
and threatening to rupture this Union, what do they 
care, if they can ride triumphantly into ofiice and 
suck the public pap ? Just nothing at all. But on 
this, and almost all other long-tried and prosperous 
regulations of our beloved rules and disciplinary 
regulations, there were found aboard the old ship 
ministers enough to keep the old, well-tried vessel 
well trimmed, and leaving in the distance these 
innovators and spoilers of ancient Methodism. So 
may it ever be ! 

Just so sure as a leaden ball tends to the earth in 
obedience to the laws of gravity, so sure the multi- 
plying of our stations tends to locality and Congrega- 
tionalism. Better, far better, for the Methodist 
Church this day that we never had a station. Pat 
all the work in circuits, and put on as many preachers 
as the people need, and are able to support, and let 
the Church be blessed with the spice of variety and 
a constant interchange of preachers. There were 
several changes in the vital economy of the itinerant 
system of the Methodist Episcopal Church by which 
wc have successfully spread the Gospel without a 



504 AUTOBIOGKAPHY OF 

parallel in the history of any branch of the Christian 
Church since the apostolic day. I hope to be borne 
with while I make a few remarks on these matters. 

At our late General conference there were some 
of the preachers who wanted a change in the time a 
preacher might remain in a station or on a circuit; 
namely, from two to three years. They urged the 
propriety of this change, First. Because it would drive 
him to reading and study in order to keep up a variety 
for his hearers. Secondly. That two years was too 
short a time to become acquainted with his flock, so 
as to become a profitable pastor. Thirdly. They 
urged that the Canadian Methodist Church, our OAvn 
child, or the daughter of Episcopal Methodism in these 
United States, had lengthened out the time that a 
preacher might remain in the same charge from one 
to five years, and that the Wesleyan Methodist 
Church in England, who is the grandmother of the 
Canadian Methodist Church, had changed the term 
of service, and that it worked well ; therefore it would 
work well among us. 

To this I reply. First. That from fifty years' experi- 
ence, I find that the return of a preacher, even the 
second year, to an appointment is not as profitable as 
the first. Secondly. If a preacher from sheer neces- 
sity is to be driven to his books, and study in order 
to keep up an interesting and profitable variety, there 
will be but little pastoral duty performed, and but 
little spirituality in these forced sermons, and a great 
deal of his preaching will be mere lecturing, and but 
little real spiritual sermonizing. Thirdly. The Cana- 
dian Methodist Church, our child or daughter, when 
she requested to be set ofi" as a separate Church from 
us, on account of the civil disabilities under which 
she labored, instead of following the illustrious foot- 



PETER CAET WRIGHT. 505 

steps of her mother, the Methodist Episcopal Church 
in these United States, in reh)tion to the time that her 
preachers might remain in a charge for consecutive 
years, flung herself into the arms of her grandmother, 
the Wesleyan Methodist Church in England, and as 
the grandmother is generally supposed to be some- 
what in dotage, and seldom, if ever, qualified to raise 
grandchildren aright, it is reasonable to suppose that 
these Canadians borrowed this radical innovation on 
the itinerant plan, of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
from a dotard grandmother; and however well it may 
work in Canada or old England, it can have no other 
effect in these United States but to localize our 
preachers, and finally destroy our itinerant system; 
and whenever this is done, farewell to the triumphant 
success of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

There was another regulation introduced into our 
late General conference on which I wish to remark; 
I mean the admitting into membership and ordaining 
preachers who are appointed to presidencies and pro- 
fessorships in our universities, colleges, and various 
institutions of learning, without having traveled a 
single day. or having a pastoral charge as a traveling- 
preacher; these men, without undergoing any of the 
privations or sacrifices of an itinerant life, are settled 
down with large salaries. Our colleges are rapidly 
multiplying, and I hope they will continue to do so; 
but who does not see that in a few years our local 
agents, presidents, and professors may form even a 
majority of our annual conferences? and then the 
itinerant system will be very much like a man riding 
a race with the reins of his horse's bridle tied to a 
stump. It is wrong, fundamentally wrong. The 
itinerant should be kept pure and unincumbered, and 
we should look out men to serve tables, or education 
43 



506 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 

if you please, but our itinerant men should give them- 
selves wholly to the ministry of the word. These 
are politically and religiously perilous times, and 
there is a solemn crisis on the Church, but I hope 
God will guide the ship of state and Church. But 
surely this is no time to abandon old and long-tried 
usages for novel experiments. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 507 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

CONVERSION OF AN INFIDEL DOCTOR. 

Somewhere about thirty-five years ago, while I was 
traveling on the Cumberland district, in West Ten- 
nessee, there lived a Dr. , who was wealthy, and 

immensely popular as a practicing physician. He 
had a large practice ; he was gentlemanly in his man- 
ners, hospitable, and kind. His family were very re- 
spectable; his wife was a devoted Christian and a 
faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
They lived in afiluence; they were benevolent and 
liberal in the support of the Gospel. I was intro- 
duced to the Doctor and his amiable family at a 
camp meeting, which was held a few miles from his 
residence. Having a few days to rest between my 
camp meetings, the Doctor and family cordially in- 
vited me to spend those rest days at his house, and I 
consented to do so. When our camp meeting closed, 
in company with several other preachers, I repaired 
to the Doctor's habitation. We were received cor- 
dially and treated princely. There was every thing 
earthly to make one comfortable. The family, black 
and white, were called in to family worship night and 
morning, and when we surrounded their bountiful 
table we were invited to ask a blessing, and to return 
thanks. The next morning, after we had breakfasted, 
as we were seated in the parlor, the Doctor informed 
me that he was a total unbeliever in the Christian 
religion; that he had read the Bible through and 



508 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

throiigli again and again, and that lie could not re- 
ceive it as a revelation from God; that he liked the 
morals that the Christian system inculcated; he liked 
to encourage the Gospel, -because of the good moral 
influence it had upon mankind; that he felt it not 
only a charity, but a positive duty to support the 
Gospel ; first, because it taught a pious reverence to- 
ward God; secondly, because it breathed peace and 
good-will to all mankind; thirdly, because it taught 
truth, virtue, honesty, and benevolence in all the civil, 
social, and moral relations of man as he stood account- 
able to his God, and as he stood connected with or 
related to all mankind. 

Now, my gentle reader, you may well imagine that 
I felt a little surprised, and that I felt greatly the 
need of right words, or rather strong arguments and 
soft words, and, after pausing for a moment, I looked 
the Doctor full in the face and said, 

" Doctor, I hope you believe there is a God. Do you ?" 

" Certainly," was his reply. 

*' Doctor, do you believe that God is too wise to 
err, and too good to inflict pain or misery of any kind 
on his innocent and unoff"ending creatures?" 

^'Certainly I do, sir." 

"Well now. Doctor, will you be good enough, lay- 
ing the Bible aside, to tell me how a wise and good 
God could push into existence a race of human beings, 
subject to all kinds of mental, moral, and physical 
wretchedness, misery, and woe? If he is wise, just, 
holy, and supremely good, how could innocent man, 
coming immediately from the plastic hand of his God, 
be filled with so many unholy and impure passions as 
we see human nature heir to?" 

"I must confess," said the Doctor, "I can not ac- 
count for it; it is wrapped in inexplicable mystery." 



PETER CARTWRiaHT. 509 

"Well, Doctor, seeing God is supremely good and 
wise, and seeing that man is limited in all his powers 
of mind and body, and subject to so much misery 
and so many errors in judgment and practice, can 
we not well imagine that God, who is the supreme 
source of all moral excellence, and whose tender 
mercies are over all his works, would be moved by 
the benignant laws of his own eternal nature, after 
having created man for his own pleasure, with all his 
liability to err and his susceptibility to evil, w^ould be 
prompted to give to this feeble race a rule of faith 
and practice? And what else is the Bible? Nay, 
would it not throw eternally into the shade all the 
perfections of God, at whose almighty fiat teeming 
millions of erring human beings have taken their 
existence in the world, and who have no power to 
control or prevent their own existence, if that God 
should leave these millions to wander in the mazes 
of animal passion without a well-defined revealed rule 
of faith and practice ?" 

The Doctor paused, and made a sorry reply. I saw 
I had made a breach in his supposed impregnable 
wall, behind which he had intrenched himself, with 
all his boasted infidelity. I saw there was not a 
moment to be lost; and with haste I commenced re- 
adjusting my battering-rams, that in my next onset I 
might widen the breach, and enter the citadel, and 
take my infidel doctor prisoner, and silence all his 
opposition to truth, when all of a sudden he said, 
"Mr. Cartwright, I know you are a man of reason 
and good sense ; and I think I can prove to you, be- 
yond the power of successful contradiction, that there 
is no such thing as experimental religion, and that it 
is all imagination and delusion." 

"Very well, Doctor; try it." 



510 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

" Well, sir," said he, " does not all knowledge, 
either human or divine, depend upon sensible evi- 
dence?" 

"Yes, sir." 

" Does not faith, human or divine, depend on cred- 
ible evidence?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Well," said he, "I will state a plain, unsophisti- 
cated case. Suppose you were called upon, as a 
judge or juror, to decide a case in litigation, and 
there were five witnesses introduced, all of them 
honorable, high-minded men, whose veracity was 
never called in question, and who stood unimpeached 
and unimpeachable every-where ; whose known integ- 
rity and intelligence were admitted on all sides; and 
suppose a matter in controversy was brought before 
you, and these five witnesses were introduced as 
credible evidence; and one of the witnesses deposed 
to the facts as stated by the plaintifi", A., and then the 
other four came forward, and with equal clearness 
deposed to the facts as claimed by the defendant, B. 
Now, sir," continued the Doctor, "all things being 
equal, so far as the intelligence, truth, and veracity 
of the witnesses are concerned, how would you decide 
the case? Would you not instantly decide that all 
the probabilities and all the possibilities were in favor 
of the four who deposed to the facts stated by the de- 
fendant, and that the one lone witness who deposed to 
the facts claimed by the plaintifi" must, to a certainty, 
be mistaken?" 

I replied, "It is altogether likely I should give 
judgment for the defendant, B." 

"Well, now, sir," said the Doctor, "you contend 
that the Christian religion is an experimental fact, 
and that all Christians have sensible evidence of a 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 511 

change of heart, which you call religion. Man has 
five senses ; namely, seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, 
and feeling. On the united and concurrent testimony 
of these five senses, or witnesses, all knowledge of 
experimental religion depends ; and all professions of 
the knowledge of facts that can not be proved by 
these witnesses, must be fallacious, and, therefore, a 
deception. Now, sir," said the Doctor, "permit me 
to ask you a few serious and solemn questions ; and I 
demand honest and unequivocal answers, direct. Did 
you ever see religion?" 

I answered, "No." 

"Did you ever hear religion?" 

"No." 

"Did you ever smell religion?" 

"No.'' 

"Did you ever taste religion?" 

"No." 

"Did you ever feel religion?" 

"Yes," 

"Now, then," said the Doctor, with apparent tri- 
umph, "I have proved, beyond a doubt, by four 
respectable witnesses, that religion is not seen, heard, 
smelled, or tasted ; and but one lone, solitary witness, 
namely, feeling, has testified that it is an experimental 
fact. The weight of evidence is overpowering, sir, 
and you must give it up." 

I paused, and seemed to be astonished and greatly 
perplexed ; but recovering myself a little, I said, 
"Doctor, are you willing that your principles and 
professional practice shall be tested by the same ar- 
ray of testimony as you have adduced to overthrow 
revealed religion ?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Well, sir, you profess to understand the science 



612 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

of medicine. You have had, and now have, a large 
and lucrative practice. You profess to have cured 
various and complicated diseases, and to have re- 
lieved and removed many pains, in the complicated 
forms in which they have attacked the human system ; 
and you have amassed a princely fortune by your 
successful practice." 

"All true," said the Doctor, 

"Well, sir, do you not know that you have been 
playing the hypocrite, and practicing a most wretched 
fraud on the gullibility of the people?" 

"No, sir," he replied, very fiercely. 

"Why, Doctor," said I, "a man of your profound 
science and research must certainly know that there 
is no such thing as pain in the human system ; and 
though ignorant people have thought so, yet you 
know better ; and whenever you have visited poor 
dupes, that thought they were in great pain, and 
administered medicine to them, and thus persuaded 
them that you, by your medical skill, had removed 
their pains, and charged them large bills, you cer- 
tainly knew you were practicing a fraud on them, 
and getting their money under false pretense ; for 
you certainly knew that there was no such thing as 
pain." 

Said the Doctor, rather fiercely, "I certainly know 
no such thing, sir." 

I replied, "Well, Doctor, I will ask a few ques- 
tions, if you please, and I demand honest and prompt 
answers." 

"Very well," said the Doctor. 

"Well, sir, did you ever see a pain?' 

"No, sir." 

"Did you ever hear a pain?" 

"No, sir." 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 513 

"Did you ever smell a pain?" 

"No, sir." 

"Did you ever taste a pain?" 

"No, sir." 

"Did you ever feel a pain?" 

" Certainly I did, sir." 

By this time I had well-nigh taken the wind out 
of the Doctor's sails, and his countenance betrayed 
confusion, but I rallied him, and said, "Do not be 
alarmed. Doctor: four respectable witnesses have tes- 
tified that there is no such thing as pain in the hu- 
man system, and but one lone witness has deposed 
that there is ; therefore, the idea of there being pain 
in the physical system of man is fallacious, and there 
is no reality in the thing ; and you ought to go and 
restore the money you have taken from them, and ac- 
knowledge the fraud you have practiced on them, and 
do so no more ; and I charge you, as an honest man, 
to do it, and quit those fraudulent practices." 

During almost all this conversation with the Doctor, 
his wife and family sat around and listened with pro- 
found attention, and I frequently saw the tears cours- 
ing down the cheeks of the Doctor's wife. The Doctor 
became mute, and remained silent for a considerable 
time. I turned my conversation to the Doctor's wife 
and children. Just at that moment the Lord, in a 
very powerful manner, blessed the pious wife of the 
Doctor, and she shouted aloud and blessed God for re- 
vealed religion. She ran and threw her arms around 
her husband's neck, and exhorted him, with stream- 
ing eyes and words that burned, to be reconciled to 
God. I said, Let us all kneel and pray. The Doctor 
fell on his knees and wept like a child, and prayed 
fervently. The great deep of his heart was broken 
up, his infidelity gave way, and, for the first time in 



514 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

his life, he wept and prayed. All day after this he 
seemed to be melted into childlike simplicity. He 
fled to the woods, and earnestly sought salvation. 
That night, after prayer, he retired to bed, but not to 
sleep, for he prayed as in agony ; and about midnight 
God spoke peace to his troubled soul, and we all 
awoke and got up, and joined in prayer and praise. 
Such thrilling shouts I seldom ever heard from the 
lips of mortal man. His conversion was the begin- 
ning of a glorious revival of religion in the settlement, 
and many were the souls saved by grace. Many of 
the Doctor's slaves obtained religion, and many others 
of the slaves in the neighborhood. The Doctor fitted 
out and sent most of his slaves to Liberia. Thank 
God that I ever had the privilege of preaching the 
Gospel to slaves and slaveholders ! Religion always 
makes better slaves and better masters, and Will se- 
cure the freedom of more slaves than all the run-mad 
abolitionism in the world. The Doctor shortly after 
was licensed to preach, and lived a pious, useful life. 
God gave him many seals to his ministry. He has 
long since fallen on sleep, and gone home to Abraham's 
bosom, while I am left to linger on the shores of time 
a little longer ; but while I pen this little sketch my 
heart grows warm with holy fire ; and I hope soon to 
meet the Doctor and his lovely family in heaven, with 
many, very many, of the spiritual children God has 
given me. Amen. 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 515 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 

METHODIST USAGES. 

I WISH to say a few things in this chapter on the 
usages of the Methodist Episcopal Church. When I 
joined the Church her ministers and members were 
a plain people; plain in dress and address. You 
could know a Methodist preacher by his plain dress 
as far as you could see him. The members were also 
plain, very plain in dress. They wore no jewelry, 
nor were they permitted to wear jewelry, or superflu- 
ous ornament, or extravagant dress of any kind, and 
this was the rule by which we walked, whether poor 
or rich, young or old; and although we knew then as 
well as we do now, that the religion of the Lord Jesus 
Christ did not consist in dress, or the cut of the gar- 
ment, yet we then knew and know now that extrav- 
agant dress and superfluous ornaments engender 
pride, and lead to many hurtful lusts, directly at war 
with that humility and godly example that becomes 
our relation to Christ, that so pre-eminently becomes 
Christians. Moreover, when we look around us, and 
see, the perishing millions of our fallen race dying 
in their sins for the want of a preached Gospel, and 
that this Gospel is not sent to them for want of means 
to support the missionary, may we not well question 
whether we are doing right in the sight of God in 
adorning our bodies with all this costly and extrava- 
gant dressing? Would it not be more godlike or 
Christian-like to give our money, laid out in these 



516 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

unnecessary ornaments, to send the Gospel to the 
poor, perishing millions that have souls to be saved 
or lost forever, and will not God hold us accountable 
for the use of those means and moneys that he has 
given us ? and would not the simple fund that might 
be created by disposing of the ornaments of the mem- 
bers of the Methodist Church alone, send the Gospel 
to hundreds of thousands, who must perish in all prob- 
ability for the want of this little Christian sacrifice by 
the professed lovers of Christ? The apostle James 
says, "Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye 
do, do all to the glory of God." Now apply this rule 
to your consciences, and I have no doubt your piety 
will decide in favor of the sacrifice you ought to 
make, and the good example you ought to set. 

The duty of family prayer is a very important one 
to the Christian. God has given the head of the 
family a very important and responsible position. It 
is a question very fairly settled, that from the early 
ages of the Christian religion, family prayer was re- 
quired and expected of all who professed godliness. 
If we are to bring up our children in the nurture and 
admonition of the Lord, and if we and our household 
are professionally bound to serve the Lord, how can 
we be innocent before God and our families, and 
habitually neglect this duty? One of the great wants 
of the Church at this day is the want of more family 
religion; and has not God threatened to ''pour out his 
wrath and fury upon the families that call not on his 
name?" How many happy thousands of children 
will bless God forever for family prayer, or, in other 
words, for praying parents, who, morning and evening, 
called their little ones around them, and bowed down 
before God, and prayed with and for them! 0, 
parents, think of the happy results of the discharge 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 517 

of this duty ! Many of your children will thank 
you in heaven forever, for praying for them in your 
families. 

And yet I am sorry to hear that many of the mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church shamefully 
neglect this sacred duty of praying in their families. 
How shall we answer it to God? Is not this one 
among many other reasons, why so many of our 
members feel almost entirely unprepared to enter 
into the work of the Lord in times of revival, when 
God pours out his Spirit and convicts sinners among 
us ? and perhaps if we prayed more at home, we 
would be better prepared to hear the Gospel of our 
salvation when we attend Church. Let no business, 
let no company that visits you, turn you away from 
or cause you to neglect this duty ; have your family 
altar firmly fixed, and your sacrifice always on it, and 
then look up, and in the very act of asking, expect 
God to send down the -holy fire and consume your 
sacrifice, be it great or small. I long to see the time 
come when God shall abundantly revive family re- 
ligion in the Church; then, and perhaps not till then, 
shall we see better and more glorious times of the 
work of God among us. 

Prayer meetings have accomplished great good, as 
practiced in the Methodist Episcopal Church ; but are 
they not growing into disuse among us? Some of 
my earliest recollections are those Methodist prayer 
meetings, where men and women, young and old, 
prayed in public. We know there have been fash- 
ionable objections to females praying in public, but I 
am sure I do not exaggerate when I say I have often 
seen our dull and stupid prayer meetings suddenly 
changed from a dead clog to a heavenly enjoyment, 
when a sister has been called on to pray, who has 



518 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

reverently bowed and taken up the cross, and utter- 
ance was given her that was heavenly, and she 
prayed with words that burned, and the baptismal 
fire rolled all around; while the house and all the 
praying company were baptized from heaven, many 
sinners, tall and stout-hearted sinners, have been 
brought to quake and tremble before God, and have 
cried for mercy, and while crying have found peace 
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Many 
weeping mourners in those prayer meetings have 
found the blessed pardon of all their sins; the mem- 
bers of the Church have also been greatly blessed, 
and have gone on their way rejoicing in the Lord. 

One of the best revivals I ever knew was com- 
menced and carried on by a prayer meeting among 
the members of the Church Avithout any preaching 
at all. The society felt that they were on back 
ground, and they covenanted to meet every evening 
for a week, and have public prayer and pray for a 
revival. The first night God met them and blessed 
many of their souls ; the second night the Lord very 
powerfully converted two souls ; the meeting went 
on then for about twenty days and nights, and from 
one to twelve were converted at every coming to- 
gether. The Saturday and Sunday on which their 
meeting closed, they sent for me to gather up the 
fragments, that nothing be lost. On Saturday I read 
our General Rules, and explained them, and showed 
the principles of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
On Sunday I preached on baptism, and opened the 
doors, and received one hundred and nineteen into 
the Church, and baptized forty-seven adults and thirty 
children in the altar, and then marched ofi" to the 
creek and immersed twenty-seven, making in all one 
hundred and nineteen accessions on trial, and one 



PETER CARTWRIGHT. 519 

hundred and four baptized ; this was the fruit of a 
prayer meeting. 

Class meetings have been owned and blessed of 
God in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and from 
more than fifty years' experience, I doubt whether 
any one means of grace has proved as successful in 
building up the Methodist Church as this blessed 
privilege. For many years we kept them with closed 
doors, and suffered none to remain in class meeting 
more than twice or thrice unless they signified a de- 
sire to join the Church. In these class meetings the 
weak have been made strong ; the bowed down have 
been raised up; the tempted have found delivering 
grace ; the doubting mind has had all its doubts and 
fears removed, and the whole class have found that 
this was "none other than the house of God, and the 
gate of heaven." Here the hard heart has been ten- 
dered, the cold heart warmed with holy fire; here 
the dark mind, beclouded with trial and temptation, 
has had every cloud rolled away, and the Sun of 
righteousness has risen with resplendent glory, " with 
healing in his wings;" and in these class meetings 
many seekers of religion have found them the spirit- 
ual birthplace of their souls into the heavenly family, 
and their dead souls made alive to God. 

Every Christian that enjoys religion, and that de- 
Bires to feel its mighty comforts, if he understands the 
nature of them really, loves them and wishes to at- 
tend them. But how sadly are these class meetings 
neglected in the Methodist Episcopal Church! Are 
there not thousands of our members who habitually 
neglect to attend them, and is it any wonder that so 
many of our members grow cold and careless in re- 
ligion, and finally backslide? Is it not for the want 
of enforcing our rules on class meetings that their 



520 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

usefulness is destroyed ? Are there not a great many 
worldly-minded, proud, fashionable members of our 
Church, who merely have the name of Methodist, that 
are constantly crying out and pleading that attend- 
ance on class meetings should not be a test of mem- 
bership in the Church? And now, before God, are 
not many of our preachers at fault in this matter? 
they neglect to meet the classes themselves, and they 
keep many class-leaders in office that will not attend 
to their duty; and is it not fearful to see our preach- 
ers so neglectful of their duty in dealing with the 
thousands of our delinquent members who stay away 
from class meetings weeks, months, and for years? 
Just as sure as our preachers neglect their duty in 
enforcing the rules on class meetings on our leaders 
and members, just so sure the power of religion will 
be lost in the Methodist Episcopal Church. for 
faithful, holy preachers, and faithful, holy class-lead- 
ers! Then we shall have faithful, holy members. 
May the time never come when class meetings shall 
be laid aside in the Methodist Episcopal Church, or 
when these class meetings, or an attendance on them, 
shall cease to be a test of membership among us! I 
beg and beseech class-leaders to be punctual in at- 
tending their classes,. and if any of their members stay 
away from any cause, hunt them up, find out the 
cause of their absence, pray with them and urge them 
to the all-important duty of regularly attending class 
meeting. Much, very much, depends on faithful and 
religious class-leaders; and how will the unfaithful 
class-leader stand in the judgment of the great day, 
when by his neglect many of his members will have 
backslidden, and will be finally lost? 



PETER CARTWHIGHT. 521 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

CONCLUSION. 

In 1803, or fifty-three years since, next fall, I started 
to travel and preach the Gospel, being employed by 
a presiding elder, in my eighteenth year. I traveled 
five years as a single man. I then married, and have 
traveled forty-eight years as a married man. My 
wife has had nine children ; seven daughters and two 
sons. We raised eight of those children; lost one 
lovely little daughter in her minority, but have lived 
to see all the rest married, though one has died since 
she married, but died in peace. We have now living 
thirty-eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchil- 
dren. All our children are in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and, we hope, are trying to be religious ; sev- 
eral of our grandchildren are also in the Church, and 
trying to serve God and get to heaven. Forty-eight 
years ago I was appointed presiding elder by Bishop 
Asbury ; and, with the exception of a few years, have 
been presiding elder up to this time, and am perhaps 
the oldest presiding elder in all the western country. 
I have seen fifty-three sessions of annual conferences, 
and never missed but one. I have been elected to 
eleven General conferences, from 1816 to 1856. 

When I started as a traveling preacher, a single 
preacher was allowed to receive eighty dollars per 
annum, if his circuit would give it to him ; but single 
preachers in those days seldom received over thirty 
or forty dollars, and often much less ; and had it not 

14 



522 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

been for a few presents made us by the benevolent 
friends of the Church, and a few dollars we made as 
^ iage fees, we must have suffered much more than 
we did. But the Lord provided; and, strange as it 
may appear to the present generation, we got along 
without starving, or going naked. 

I wish here to give a statement of my success, and 
loss and gain, as a Methodist traveling preacher, for 
fifty -three years, though I know it will be imperfect; 
but it shall be as perfect as my old musty and rusty 
account scraps will permit. And in the first place, I 
have lacked, in the fifty-three years, of my disciplin- 
ary allowance, about $5,000; loss in horses to travel 
with, $1,000; loss in the sale of religious books, $200; 
loss in money, of which I was robbed, $150 ; loss in 
clothing stolen from me, $50. Total loss, $6,400. 

I sold about $10,000 worth of books: my per cent- 
age on these books would net me about $1,000 ; made 
in marriage fees, $500 ; presents in money, clothing, 
horses, etc., $500. Total, $2,000. 

Given by me for the erection of churches and par- 
sonages, $500; given to Missionary Society, Bible 
Society, Sunday School Union, and other benevolent 
societies, $800; given to universities, colleges, etc., 
for education, $700 ; given to superannuated preach- 
ers, their widows and orphans, and other necessitous 
cases, $300 ; given unfortunate persons, burned out, 
$500. Total, $2,300. 

I have traveled eleven circuits, and twelve districts ; 
have received into the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
on probation and by letter, 10,000 ; have baptized, 
of children, 8,000 ; of adults, 4,000. I have preached 
the funerals of 500; and now, after all I have done or 
can do, and although I know well what a Methodist 
preacher's suffering life is, and have known what it 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 523 

is to suffer hunger and poverty, and also what it is, 
in some small sense, to abound, I feel that I have 
been a very unprofitable servant. 

For fifty-three years, whenever appointed to a cir- 
cuit or district, I formed a plan, and named every 
place where and when I preached ; and also the text 
of Scripture from which I preached ; the number of 
conversions, of baptisms, and the number that joined 
the Church. From these old plans, though there are 
some imperfections, yet I can come very near stating 
the number of times that I have tried to preach. For 
twenty years of my early ministry, I often preached 
twice a day, and sometimes three times. We seldom 
ever had, in those days, more than one rest day in a 
week ; so that I feel very safe in saying that I preached 
four hundred times a year. This would make, in 
twenty years, eight thousand sermons. For the last 
thirty-three years, I think I am safe in saying I have 
averaged four sermons a week, or at least two hun- 
dred sermons a year, making, in thirty-three years, 
6,600. Total, 14,600. 

I was converted on a camp-ground, elsewhere de- 
scribed in this narrative ; and for many years of my 
early ministry, after I was appointed presiding elder, 
lived in the tented grove from two to three months 
in the year. 

I am sorry to say that the Methodist Episcopal 
Church of late years, since they have become numerous 
and wealthy, have almost let camp meetings die out. 
I am very certain that the most successful part of my 
ministry has been on camp-grounds. There the word 
of God has reached the hearts of thousands that 
otherwise, in all probability, never would have been 
reached by the ordinary means of grace. Their prac- 
ticability and usefulness have, to some extent, been 



524 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 

tested this year, 1856, in my district. Pleasant Plains, 
and I greatly desire to see a revival of camp meetings 
in the Methodist Episcopal Church before I go hence 
and am no more, or before I leave the walls of Zion. 
Come, my Methodist brethren, you can well afford to 
spend one week in each year, in each circuit, or 
station, on the tented field. But there must be a 
general rally ; it will be but a small burden if there 
is a general turn out, but if a few only tent, it will be 
burdensome, and will finally destroy camp meetings 
altogether. 

May the day be eternally distant, when camp 
meetings, class meetings, prayer meetings, and love- 
feasts shall be laid aside in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church ! 

And now I must draw this imperfect history of my 
life to a close. I am in the seventy-second year of 
my natural life. I have lived to see this vast west- 
ern wilderness rise and improve, and become wealthy 
without a parallel in the history of the world ; I have 
outlived every member of my father's family; I have 
no father, no mother, no brother, no sister living ; I have 
outlived every member of the class I joined in 1800 ; 
I have outlived every member of the Western confer- 
ence in 1804, save one or two ; I have outlived every 
member of the first General conference that I was 
elected to, in Baltimore, in 1816, save five or six ; I have 
outlived all my early bishops ; I have outlived every 
presiding elder that I ever had when on circuits ; and 
I have outlived hundreds and thousands of my co- 
temporary ministers and members, as well as juniors, 
and still linger on the mortal shores. Though all 
these have died, they shall live again, and by the 
grace of God I shall live with them in heaven forever. 
Why I live, God only knows. I certainly have toiled 



PETER CART WRIGHT. 525 

and suffered enough to kill a thousand men, but I 
do not complain. Thank God for health, strength, 
and grace, that have borne me up, and borne me on; 
thank God that during my long and exposed life as 
a Methodist preacher, I have never been overtaken 
with any scandalous sin, though my shortcomings and 
imperfections have been without number ! 

And now, I ask of all who may read this imperfect 
sketch of my eventful life, while I linger on these 
mortal shores, to pray for me, that my sun may set 
without a cloud, and that I may be counted worthy 
to obtain a part in the first resurrection ; and may, 
may I meet you all in heaven ! Farewell, till we 
meet at the judgment! 



•^ 



v; 



BJL'?9 



